APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 217 
No. 120. 
Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salishury.—(Received April 16.) 
WASHINGTON, April 6, 1888, 
My Lorp: With reference to your Lordship’s despatch of the 30th 
March, I have the honour to inclose herewith copy of a note which I 
addressed to Mr. Bayard, representing the importance of enabling Her 
Majesty’s Government to contradict the report that orders had been 
issued by the United States Government for the capture of British ships 
fishing in Behring’s Sea. I had previously received a communication 
in the above sense from the Marquis of Lansdowne, and at an interview 
which I had with the Secretary of State he stated to me that no such 
orders had been issued, which information I telegraphed to your Lord- 
ship on the 3rd instant. 
I have since received a further telegram from the Marquis of Lans- 
downe, copy of which is inclosed, requesting to know whether his Gov- 
ernment is to understand that sealers will not be molested except within 
the marine league from the shore. I accordingly again called on Mr. 
Bayard, and he repeated to me, in reply to my question in the above 
sense, that no orders had been issued for the capture of sealers in Beh- 
ring’s Sea. He presumed that the orders I alluded to as having been 
issued some years ago were instructions under Statute (see 1,956 Revised 
Statutes) for the regulation of the seal fishery in the waters of Alaska. 
Pending international negotiations on this subject, he did not think it 
was expedient to answer my question in so far as it related to the marine 
league limit, as these negotiations had for object the general protection 
and preservation of the seal in all waters. He did not wish to see 
another British or American sealer seized, and hoped that no such Selz- 
ures would occur, 
I have, &e. 
(Signed) L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. 
196 [Inclosure 1 in No. 120.] 
Sir L. West to Mr. Bayard. 
WASHINGTON, April 2, 1888. 
Str: I have the honour to inform you that the Marquis of Salisbury has received 
intimation from the Canadian Government to the effect that orders have been issued 
by the United States Government for the capture of British ships fishing in Beh- 
ring’s Sea, and that he has te ‘legraphed to me to represent earnestly the extreme 
impor tance of enabling Her Majesty’s Gov ernment to contradict this rumour. 
I have, &c. 
(Signed) L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. 
{Inclosure 2 in No. 120.—Telegraphic.] 
The Marquis of Lansdowne to Sir L. West. 
APRIL 5, 1888. 
In reply to your telegram of the 8rd April, there is an impression here that orders 
were issued some years ago by United States Government to Collector at San Fran- 
cisco for seizure of vessels found in B ehring’s Sea, and that these orders have never 
been withdrawn. 
May we understand our sealers will not be molested except within the marine 
league from shore? 
