APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. Beil 
{Inclosure 2 in No. 135.—Telegraphic. } 
The Marquis of Lansdowne to Lord Knutsford. 
May 11, 1888. 
I have received your cablegram of the 9th instant. The objections of the Canadian 
Government would not be removed by the substitution of the 50th instead of the 47th 
parallel. A Report on close time question is in course of preparation. My Govern- 
ment hopes that no decision will be taken until you are in possession of it, 
No. 136. 
Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salisbury.—( Received June 11.) 
[Extract. | 
WASHINGTON, May 30, 1888. 
With reference to my despatch of the 1st instant, [ have the honour 
to inform your Lordship that at Mr. Bayard’s request I called upon him, 
and he then remarked to me, with reference to my note of the 30th 
April, that he was not aware that there were any vessels or skins held 
at the present moment. 
With regard to extending the time limited for appeal, he said that 
he had consulted with the Attorney-General, and that he had found 
that it was not in the power of the Executive to intervene in the matter. 
Having given me this explanation, he said he would reply to my note 
in this sense. 
P. S.—I subjoin copy of the reply to my note of the 30th April, which 
I have just received. 
[Inclosure in No. 136.] 
Mr. Bayard to Sir L. West. 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 28, 1888. 
Srr: I have the honour to acknowledge your notes of the 30th ultimo and the 25th 
instant, both relating to the appeals taken in the Judicial Courts in Alaska from 
decrees in cases of British vessels seized by the United States Revenue officials in 
Behring’s Sea, under charges of haying violated the laws of the United States regu- 
lating the killing of fur-seals. 
I must excuse myself for the delay in making reply to your note of the 30th April, 
which was caused by my desire to obtain from you a verbal explanation of what 
appeared to me an inadvertent expression contained therein, {rom which it appeared 
that the ‘‘skippers” were held under arrest as well as the sealing-vessels. 
In my personal interview with you to-day it became mutually understood 
205 that there has been and is no such personal detentiou in any of the cases, but 
the proceedings have all been in rem against the vessels so employed and their 
outfits. 
The suggestion of the Marquis of Salisbury that the time limited for prosecution 
of the appeals (entered already or proposed to be entered) in the cases referred to, in 
order to give an opportunity for a diplomatic settlement [sic], will meet with 
favourable consideration within the limits of statutory provision in relation to the 
docketing and prosecution of appeals. 
While it is not within the power of the Executive Branch to alter or extend the 
statutory limitation in respect of the time of entering such appeals, yet as far as 
agreement of both parties may preyail in procuring postponements of the arguments 
and pleadings, after the appeal has been duly taken, I apprehend that there will be 
every disposition on the part of the prosecution to give time for diplomatic arrange- 
ment. = 
Accept, &e. 
(Signed) T. F. BAYARD, 
