344 



APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



5. That one of tbe most impDrtant 

 points of tlio Agrecniont, and one of very 

 great advantage to Russia, lies in tbe 

 assurance that at the expiration of ten 

 years the subjects of tbe United American 

 (States will cease altogether to navigate 

 the waters of the north-western coast 

 above latitude 54° 40', and to carry on 



their fishery and trade with tbe 

 34 native inhabitants. If, on the one 



hand, it could not be supposed that 

 the States would willingly agree to such 

 a concession without any corresponding 

 advantage, on the other band, all that 

 the Imperial Ministry bad desired or de- 

 manded will be accorded and fulfilled at 

 the end of a few years as specified. 



6. Concerning tbe influence which the 

 Agreement concluded on the 5th April 

 may haveupon Russia's trade with China, 

 it is necessary to consider that in this 

 trade there is invested on both sides a 

 capital of 50,000,000 roubles, of which 

 only 800,000 roubles fall to the Russian- 

 American Company's share, and even if 

 the Company could bring to Kiakhta a 

 much greater number of furs, otters, and 

 fur-seal, it would be found impossible to 

 dispose of them, and they would fill the 

 market to the injury of other goods. At 

 any rate, viewing the limited scope of its 

 trade, it cannot be considered that tbe 

 Agreement of the 5tb (17th) April can in 

 any way injure the trade of Russia with 

 China. 



7. That since tbe sovereignty of Russia 

 over tbe shores of Siberia [and America], 

 as well as over the Aleutian Islands [aud 

 tbe intervening seas], has long since been 

 acknowledged by all Powers, these coasts, 

 islands, [and seas] just named could not 

 have been referred to in tbe Articles of 

 the above-mentioned Convention, which 

 latter concerns only the disputed terri- 

 tory on the north-west coast of America 

 and the adjoining islands, and that [in 

 the full assurance of such undisputed 

 right] Russia has long since established 

 permanent Settlements on the coast of 

 Siberia as well as on the chain of the 

 Aleutian Islands; consequently, Amer- 

 ican subjects could not, on the strength 

 of Article II of the Convention of the 5th 

 (17th) April, have made landings on the 

 coast or carried on hunting and fishing 

 without tbe permission of our Command- 

 ers or Governors. These coasts of Siberia 

 and of the Aleutian Islands are not 

 ■washed by the Southern or Pacific Ocean, 

 of which mention is made in Article I of 

 tbe Convention, but by the Arctic Ocean 

 and the Seas of Kamchatka and Okhotsk, 

 which, on all authentic Charts and in all 

 geographies, form no part of the South- 

 ern or Pacific Oceau. 



and it is permitted to continue to found 

 new ones under parallels farther to tbe 

 south. 



5. That it is not less advantageous to 

 Russia to be assured by a mutual and 

 amicable Convention that after the expi- 

 ration of ten years the subjects of the 

 United Statesof America will abstain en- 

 tirely from visiting the waters of the 

 North American coast beyond 54° 40', and 

 from fishing and from trading there with 

 the native inhabitants; for, on the one 

 hand, it would be impossible to suppose 

 that the States would voluntarily con- 

 sent to such a concession without any 

 compensation whatever, and, on the other 

 hand, all the wishes expressed to the Im- 

 perial Ministry are thereby fulfilled after 

 the expiration of a certain period. 



6. That as regards the influence, how- 

 ever, which the Treaty concluded on the 

 5th April might exert on the trade of Rus- 

 sia with China, it must be remarked that 

 in this trade on both sides a capital of 

 50,000,000 rotables is invested, and that tbe 

 Russian-American Company participates 

 in it only to the extent of 800,000 roubles, 

 or thereabouts ; that even if it brought to 

 Kiachta a larger quantity of furs, otter- 

 skins, and seal -skins, it would not be able 

 to dispose of them, or would cause mate- 

 rial injury to other exported goods by 

 glutting with its merchandize a market 

 winch is already very limited, owing to 

 the nature of its trade, and that conse- 

 quently the Treaty of the 5th (17th) April 

 can in no respect injure the trade of Rus- 

 sia with China. 



7. That as the sovereignty of Russia 

 over the coasts of Siberia and tbe Aleu- 

 tian Islands has long been admitted by 

 all the Powers, it follows that the said 

 coasts and islands cannot be alluded to 

 in the Articles of the said Treaty, which 

 refers only to the disputed territory on 

 the north-west coast of America and to 

 the adjacent islands ; that even supposing 

 tbe contrary, Russia has established per- 

 manent Settlements, not only on the coast 

 of Siberia, but also on the Aleutian group 

 of islands; henoe American subjects could 

 not, by virtue of the second Article of the 

 Treaty of the 5th (17th) April, land at 

 the maritime places there nor carry on 

 sealing and fishing withoiit the permis- 

 sion of our Commandants or Governors. 

 Moreover, tbe coasts of Siberia and the 

 Aleutian Islands arc not washed by the 

 Southern Sea, of wliich alone mention is 

 made in the Ist Article of the Treaty, but 

 by the Northern Ocean and the seas of 

 Kamchatka and Okotsk, which form no 

 part of the Southern Sea on any known 

 Map or in any Geography. 



