PERIOD FOLLOWING THE TREATIES. 31 



sea, -throughout the whole period of her occu- Emai obserra 



tions upon histori 



pancy and down to the cession to the United ? 1 aud jurisdic 



1 J tional questions. 



States in 1867; and that the acquisition of it was 

 one of the principal motives which animated the 

 United States in making the purchase of Alaska. 



Second. That by no act, consent, or acquies- 

 cence of Russia was the right renounced to carry 

 on this industry without interference from other 

 nations, much less was a right in other nations 

 to destroy it in any manner admitted or recog- 

 nized; and that no open or known persistent 

 attempt had ever been made to interfere with it 

 down to the time of the cession of Alaska to the 

 United States. 



Third. That the claim now made by the United 

 States Government of a right to protect and de- 

 fend the property and interest thus acquired, and 

 which it has ever since sedulously maintained, 

 while in no sense dependent upon any right pre- 

 viouly asserted by Russia in the premises, is, 

 nevertheless, in strict accordance with, and in 

 continuation of, the industry thus established and 

 the rights asserted and maintained by Russia in 

 connection therewith. 



