— 
APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 295 
In this Report, after expressing his fear that the British sealing-vessels will again 
visit the open waters of Behring’s Sea, and capture seals, the Governor calls for an 
announcement of the ‘‘ policy and determination of the Government in the matter 
of their protection.” 
Subsequently, and during the 50th Session of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Marine and Fisheries was directed ‘to fully investigate and report 
upon the nature and extent of the rights and interests of the United States in the 
fur-seals and other fisheries in the Behring’s Sea in Alaska; whether and to what 
extent the same had been violated: a:d by whom: and what, if any, legislation is 
necessary for the better protection : 1. preservation of the same.” 
The Committee reported * upholding the claim of the United States to jurisdiction 
over all waters and land included in the Treaty of Cession by Russia to the United 
States, and construing different Acts of Congress as completing the claim of national 
territorial rights to cover the open waters “of Behring’s Sea outside of the 3-mile 
limit. 
The concluding portion of the Report, among other things, states as follows: 
“That the chief object of the purchase of Alaska was the acquisition of the valu- 
able prodnets of the Behring’s Sea. 
“That at the date of the cession of Alaska to the United States, Russia’s title to 
Behring’s Sea was perfect and undisputed. 
“That by virtue of the Treaty of Cession the United States acquired complete 
title to all that portion of Behring’s Sea situated within the limits prescribed by the 
Treaty. 
-““The Committee herewith report a Billt making necessary amendments of the 
existing Law relating to these subjects, and recommend its passage.” 
Herewith appended is a copy of the Bill H. R. 12,432, introduced as directed by 
this Report, together with an extract from the “ coe uaa Record” relating to 
the same.t 
The Proclamation of the President of the United States was issued on the 21st 
March, 1889, of which a copy is appended to this Report.§ 
This Proclamation takes the place of the Notice already quoted, first reciting sec- 
tion 1,956 of the Revised Statutes and then section 3.of the Act, entitled ‘‘ An Act to 
provide for the Protection of the Salmon Fisheries of Alaska,” || which is as follows: 
“Section 3. That section 1,956 of the. Revised Statutes of the United States is 
hereby declared to include and apply to all the dominion of the United States in the 
waters of Behring’s Sea, and it shall be the duty of the President at a timely season 
in each year to issue his proclamation and cause the same to be published for one 
month at least in one newspaper (if any such there be) published at each United 
States port of entry on the Pacific Coast warning all persons against entering the 
waters for the purpose of violating the provisions of the said section, and he shall 
also cause one or more vessels of the United States to diligently cruize in the said 
waters and arrest all persons and seize all vessels found to be or to have been engaged 
in any Violation of the Laws of the United States therein.” 
Then follows the warning as in Appendix (marked E). 
The Minister desires to bring to the immediate notice of the British Government 
the foregoing to show that w hile the wrongs inflicted by the American authorities 
upon subjec ts of Her Britannic Majesty still; go unredressed, instead of withdrawing 
from the position assumed by the United States in 1886, the Government of that coun- 
try threatens to renew the illegal acts complained of. 
267 Under these circumstances it is not surprising that the public mind in Can- 
ada has become excited if not alarmed by even the appearance of delay in 
obtaining full compensation for the injuries done to British subjects residing in this 
portion of the Empire. 
Adverting again to the Report of the Committee on Marine and Fisheries of the 
House of Representatives, the Minister does not deem it necessary to review all the 
conclusive answers which have been given to the ground taken by said Committee, 
and he is glad to recollect that the British Government has never entertained doubt 
regarding the absence of the slightest justification for the seizure of the Canadian 
vessels. 
He may, however, be permitted to refer to the argument of the Committee of 
Marine and Fisheries before adverted to. 
-The contention of the Committee was that the only question ever raised between 
Russia, England, and the United States regarding maritime jurisdiction in the Pacifie 
had reference to a section of the eoast of the North Pacific Ocean, and entirely 
remote from Behring’s Sea. 
Report No, eon 50 Congress, Section 2, Appendix (A), March 30, 1869. 
t Bill, H. R. 432. 
t Appendix as 
§ Proclamation, March 21, 1889, Appendix (E). 
|| Approved, March 2, 1889. 
