a 
AP,rENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 303 
islands, there is great danger of their seeking other haunts, and should this oceur 
the natural selection would be Komandorsky Islands, which lie just opposite the 
Priboloy group, near the coast of Kamschatka, owned by Russia, and are now the 
haunts of fur-seals. 
“That the successful prosecution of the above-mentioned schemes would have 
the effect to drive the seals from their accustomed course there can be no doubt. 
Jonsidering, therefore, alone the danger which is here threatened to the interest of 
the Government in the seal fisheries, and the large annual revenue derived from the 
same, I have the honour to suggest, for the ¢ onsideration of the Honourable Secretary 
of the Treasury the question whether the Act of the 1st July, 1870, relating to those 
fisheries, does not authorize his interference by means of Revenue cutters to prevent 
foreigners and others from doing such an irreparable mischief to this valuable 
interest. Should the Honourable. Secretary deem it expedient to send a cutter into 
these waters, I would respectfully suggest that a steam-eutter would be able to 
render the most efficient service, and that it should be in the region of Onimak Pass 
and St. Paul and St. George Islands by the 15th of next May. 
“Tam, very respectfully, 
(Signed) “T, G. PHELps, Collector.” 
Extract from San Francisco ‘ Daily Chronicle,” March 21, 1872. 
“It is stated in reliable commercial circles that parties in Australia are preparing 
to fit ont an expedition for the capture of fur-seals in Behring’s Sea. The present 
high prices of fur-seal furs in London and the European m: kets bas acted pow- 
erfully in stimulating enterprises of a lke character. But afew days ago we men- 
tioned that a Victorian Company was organized for catching fur-seals in the North 
Pacific. Another party—an agent representing some Eastern capitalists—has been 
in this city for the past week making inquiries as to the feasibility of organizing an 
expedition for like purposes.” 
“ Mr. Boutwell to Mr. Phelps. 
“TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., April 19, 1872. 
“Sir: Your letter of the 25th ultimo was duly received, calling the attention of 
the Department to certain rumours circulating in San Francisco ‘to the effect that 
expeditions are to start from Australia and the Hawaiian Islands to take fur-seals 
on their annual migration to the Islands of St. Paul and St. George through the 
narrow pass of Onimak. You recommend—to cut off the possibility of evil result- 
ing to the interests of the United States from these expeditions—that a Revenue 
cutter be sent to the region of Onimak Pass by the 15th May next. 
“A very full conversation was had with Captain Bryant upon this subject while 
he was at the Department, and he conceived it to be entirely impracticable to make 
such an expedition a paying one, inasmuch as the seals go singly or in pairs, and 
not in droves, and cover a large region of water in their homew ard travel to these 
islands, and he did not seem to fear that the seals would be driven from their accus- 
tomed resorts, even were such attempts made. 
‘Tn addition, I do not see that the United States would have the jurisdiction or 
power to drive off parties going up there for that purpose, unless they made such 
attempt within a marine league of the shore. 
“As at present advised, I do not think it expedient to carry out your suggestions, 
but I will thank you to communicate to the Department any further facts or infor- 
mation you may be able to gather upon the subject. 
*‘T am, very respectfully, 
(Signed) ‘GEORGE 
~ 
S. BouTwELL, Secretary.” 
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.—( Received August 3.) 
DOWNING STREET, August 3, 1889. 
Str: I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, to be laid 
before the Marquis of Salisbury, an extract of a letter from the High 
Commissioner for Canada respecting the alleged seizure of the “ Black 
Diamond” in Behring’s Sea. 
