16 PERIOD PRECEDING THE TREATIES. 



ukase of 1799. regions, not only upon foreigners but also upon 

 Russian subjects not belonging to the Company. 

 This prohibition was again affirmed and more 

 clearly defined in the new privileges granted in 

 the year 1821, and in the regulations concerning 

 the limits of navigation." This interpretation of 

 the ukase of 1799 is sustained by the subsequent 

 history of those same regions. 

 „9£ a J?£ er T of In Chapter I of the British Case an endeavor 



British Case. r 



is made, however, to show that under the ukase 

 of 1799 Russia reserved to the Russian American 

 Company no exclusive rights as against foreign- 

 ers, and that for many years prior to 1821 the 

 waters affected by the ukase had been freely 

 used for all purposes by vessels of all nations. 

 This is sought to be made out by treating the 

 waters of Bering Sea and those adjoining the 

 Northwest Coast of America as a single area; * and 

 numerous instances are referred to in which 

 portions of this area, namely, the shores and 

 waters of the American coast east and south of 

 Kadiak, were visited by foreigners for trade 

 with the natives. 

 Distinction be- The territories and waters which the British 



tween Bering Sea 



region and Pacific Q ase thus confounds the United States have 



Ocean. 



carefully distinguished, and they take issue with 

 Her Majesty's Government upon the point that 



1 British Case, p. 13. 



