62 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
No. 29. 
Foreign Office to Colonial Office. 
x FOREIGN OFFICE, February 14, 1887. 
Sir: I have laid before the Marquis of Salisbury your letter of the 
Sth instant, forwarding a copy of a despatch, with its inclosures, from 
the Governor-General of Canada, relating to the claims for damages 
sustained and compensation demanded by the owners, masters, and 
mates of the British schooners “Onward,” “Thornton,” and ‘“Caro- 
lina,” which were seized by the United States Revenue cruizer 
‘‘Corwin” last August, while engaged in seal fishing in Behring’s Sea. 
In reply, I am directed by his Lordship to request that you will 
suggest to Sir H. Holland that it might be desirable to defer laying 
these claims before the Government of the United States until Her 
Majesty’s Government have had an opportunity of examining the 
statement as to the circumstances under which the seizures took place 
which is referred to in Sir L. West’s telegram of the 4th instant, com- 
municated to you on the following day. 
45 I am to add that, should this suggestion meet with Sir H. 
Holland’s concurrence, instructions will be sent accordingly to 
Sir L. West. 
Lam &e. 
(Signed) JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. 
No. 30. 
Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salisbury.—( Received February 15.) 
WASHINGTON, January 30, 1887. 
My Lorp: I have the honour to transmit herewith the Report of 
the Governor of Alaska for the year 1886. 
I have, We. 
(Signed) L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. 
[Inclosure in No. 30.] 
Extract from the Report of the Governor of Alaska for the Fiscal Year 1886. 
PROTECTION OF FUR SEAL AND SEA OTTER. 
The capture of one American and three British vessels while engaged in taking 
seals in the inland waters of Alaska by the Revenue eutter ‘‘Corwin” has no doubt 
been fully reported by her zealous and meritorious Commander, Captain C. A. Abbey, 
to the proper Department, and but for the fact that the officers and crews were brought 
to Sitka, and, together with the captured property, turned over to the United States 
Marshal, the subject might not be considered one within the province of this Report. 
The masters and mates of the several vessels were tried at a special term of the Dis- 
trict Court, and all convicted and sentenced to brief terms of imprisonment, and three 
of them to payment of fines ranging from 300 dollars to 500 dollars each. 
The terms of imprisonment of all save the master of the American vessel having very 
nearly expired on the 29th September, on the urgent request and recommendation 
of the honourable Judge of the District Court before whom the convictions were 
had, I granted respites in the several cases, save the exception noted, and the pris- 
oners were released and allowed to depart for their several homes. They were with 
eae 
