APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



347 



Ko. 15. 



From the Board of Administration 

 of the Russian - American Com- 

 pany to Captain of the First RanTc 

 and Knight Ivan Antonevitch 

 Kupreianof. Written from St. 

 Petersburg, March 31, 1840. 



From your despatch No. 114 of 

 tlie 20tb April, we learn that you 

 have requested the Creole Shay- 

 ashiiikof to express his opinion as 

 to when you may begin taking a 

 full catch of fur-seals on the Island 

 of St. Paul, and when you may es- 

 tablivsh a close season on St. George 

 and the Commander Islands. The 

 Board of Administration respect- 

 fully requests that you will in every 

 respect act in accordance with the 

 opinions of Shayashnikof, who pos- 

 sesses a thorough knowledge of this 

 industry. At the same time, you 

 will bear in mind that we look upon 

 thefur-seal catch as the mostimpor- 

 tantitem of our colonial enterprises, 

 which must be preserved at all haz- 

 ards, even to the temporary neglect 

 of other resources. Everything 

 must be done to prevent a decrease 

 or extermination of these valuable 

 animals. 

 (Signed) N. Prokofyef, 



2sf. KusoF, 

 A. Severin, 



Directors, 



No. 15. 



Board of Administration of the 

 Russian- American Company to 

 Captain Ivan Antonovitch Kup- 

 reianof <&€., Chief Manager of the 

 Russian- American Colonies. 



(No. 63.) March 31, 1840. 



This Board learns from your 

 despatch No. 114 of the 20th April 

 that you have asked the boatman 

 Shaiashnikof to state when, in his 

 opinion, it will be possible to begin 

 taking a full catch of seals on the 

 Island of St. Paul, in order to estab- 

 lish a close time for sealing on 

 St. George and the Commander 

 Islands. The Board requests you 

 to pay great attention to the opinion 

 of Shaiashnikof, who is a man of 

 considerable experience, and to act 

 ujion it, remembering that tlie chief 

 object to be aimed at should be the 

 improvement of the sealing indus- 

 try, and the prevention of the exter- 

 mination of the seals. 



(Signed) N. Prokofief, 



N. KusoF, 

 A. Severin, 



Directors. 



(Signed) Bajeno [?J, 



Acting Chief ClerJc, 



No. 16. 



Letter fr 0771 the Board of Adminis- 

 tration of the Russian- American 

 Company to Captain of the Im- 

 perial Navy of the Second RanJc 

 Alexander Hitch RudaTcof Act- 

 ing Chief Manager. Writtenfrom 

 St. Petersburg, March 20, 1853. 



No. 16. 



Letter from the Board of Adminis- 

 tration of the Russian- American 

 Company to Captain of the Im- 

 perial Navy of the Second Ranlx 

 Alexander Hitch Rudalcof Act- 

 ing Chief Manager. Writtenfrom 

 St. Petersburgh, March 20, 1853. 



From the despatches of the Board From the despatches of the Board 

 of Administration, dated the 12th of Administration, dated the 12th 

 April and 16th November, 1851, April and 16th November, 1851, 



