APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 25 
vessel and took her to Ounalaska. They were about twenty-eight hours engaged in 
towing us to Ounalaska. The master of the ‘‘Corwin” removed all our guns and 
ammunition—ten guns in all. There were fourteen hands on board the ‘‘ Thornton” 
altogether, including two Indians, nine white men, and a Chinese cook—were sent 
to San Francisco and there discharged. Two white men and two Indians were left 
on boatd the schooner at Ounaiaska. We were 5 or 6 miles from the ‘‘ Carolina” at 
the time we were seized. I saw no other vessels in sight at the time. We were 
never in sight of land during the whole time we were sealing. And I make this 
declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true, by virtue of the Act 
passed in the 37th year of Her Majesty’s reign, intituled ‘‘An Act for the Suppression 
of Voluntary and Extra-judicial Oaths.” 
; (Signed) JouN DALLAS, his X mark. 
Taken and declared before me at Victoria, this 23rd day of August, 1886, the same 
having been first read over to him. 
(Signed) M. W. Tyrwuitt DRAKE, J. P. 
No. 4. 
Sir L. West to the Earl of Iddesleigh.—( Received October 4.) 
WASHINGTON, September 21, 1886. 
My Lorp: The reported seizure of British vessels by American 
cruizers in waters over which it appears the United States Govern- 
ment claim jurisdiction as adjacent to the Territory of Alaska has given 
rise to much comment in the newspapers touching the interests of a 
powerful commercial Company which may be affected by the inter- 
national questions arising therefrom; and in this connection I have the 
honour to inclose to your Lordship Lerewith a précis of the history of 
the origin of this Company, as well as of what has been written on the 
subject. . 
Chapter 3 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (p. 342, sec- 
tions 1954 to 1976 inclusive) contains the “ provisions relating to the 
unorganized Territory of Alaska;” and section 1954 extends “the 
laws of the United States to and over all the mainland, islands, and 
waters of the territory” ceded by Russia to the United States by the 
Treaty of 1867. 
In addition the lease of the Government Seal Islands the Alaska 
Company holds as well leases of certain islands from the Russian 
Government, so that in fact it may be said to monopolize the seal fur 
trade in these waters. 
I have, Xe. 
(Signed) L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. 
[Inclosure in No. 4.] 
History of the Origin of the Alaska Commercial Company. 
The transfer of the Territory of Alaska to the United States Government, in com- 
pliance with the terms of the Treaty of Purchase between the two Governments, 
ineluded the transfer of all the Russian Government property, such as public bnild- 
ings at Sitka, Governor’s house, Custom-house, hospital, and wharves, &c. There 
were, however, certain buildings reserved as the property of the Russian Fur Com- 
pany, and as General Rousseau, the United States Commissioner, could not, in his 
official capacity, take any active or open part in its disposal, Prince Matsukoff, the 
Russian Governor, concluded a bargain with Mr. Hutchinson, who accompanied 
General Rousseau as his Private Secretary. This bargain included all the 
10 property of the Russian Fur Company and seal-skins stored. It was made on 
private terms and to the exclusion of the stockholders of the Russian Company 
and the American officers stationed at Sitka, who claimed that they were entitled to 
a share of the spoils. 
