APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 395 
The schooners have since lain on the beach at Ounalaska, worm-eaten and worth- 
less. In 1887 the Government of the United States concluded to give these vessels 
up, and in a letter from Mr. Bayard to Sir L. West, dated the 11th October, 1887, the 
following extract appears: é 
“In the meantime, in acknowledging your note, I take occasion to state my impres- 
sion that if the three vessels seized and ordered to be released have not been 
re-possessed by their owners, it is not because of any hindrance on the part of any 
official of this Government or failure to obey the order for release, but probably 
because of the remoteness of the locality (Ounalaska) where they were taken after 
arrest for adjudication, and the proceedings having been in rem, the owners have 
not seen proper to proceed to Alaska to re-possess themselves of the property in 
question.” : 
Again, on the 13th October of the same year we find the following from Mr. Bay- 
ard to Sir L. West: 
‘““DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 13, 1887. 
“Str: Continuing my reply to your note of the 29th ultimo inquiring the reason 
for the delay in complying with the order issued in January last for the release of 
the British vessels seized last year in Behring’s Sea, I beg leave to inform you that 
I have this day received a communication from my colleague, the Attorney-General, 
informing me that his telegram to the United States Marshal at Sitka of the 26th 
January last, ordering the release of the British schooners ‘‘Ouward,” ‘‘ Caroline,” 
and ‘‘Thornton,” owing to some misconception and mistake on the part of the official 
to whom it had been addressed, had not been acted upon. A renewed order has gone 
forward for their release, as had been distinctly directed last January, and which I 
had no reason to doubt had been promptly obeyed. 
(Signed) poe HTe) DAYAR Ds 
From the foregoing it naturally would be believed by all reasonable people that 
the Secretary ot the United States would have had due respect for the proprieties of 
international comity, and see that his order would be carried into effect before the 
close of the year 1887. Such was not the case, whatever intervened in this diplo- 
matic shuffle. It did not materialize before the 1st November, 1888, and not until 
the 10th November of that year did Messrs. Carne and Munsie receive the following: 
“DISTRICT OF ALASKA, UNITED STATES MARSHAL’S OFFICE, 
“Sitka, November 1, 1888. 
“Str: You are hereby authorized and directed to deliver to the rightful owner, 
Messrs. Munsie and Co., Victoria, British Columbia, the seized schooner ‘‘ Caroline,” 
of Victoria, British Columbia, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, as she now lies in 
the Harbour of Ounalaska. 
(Signed) “BARTON ATKINS, 
“United States Marshal. 
“EK. H. WALL, Esq., 
“United States Deputy Collector of Customs, Ounalaska, Alaska.” 
360 ‘DISTRICT OF ALASKA, UNITED STATES MARSHAUL’S OFFICE, 
“Sitka, November 1, 1888. 
‘“GENTLEMEN: I have the honour to inform you that I have received from the 
honourable Attorney-General of the United States orders to release to the rightful 
owners the schooner ‘‘Caroline,” her tackle, apparel, and furniture, as she now lies 
at the Harbour of Ounalaska, in the district of Alaska. The order on the Deputy 
Collector of Customs at Ounalaska to deliver to you the property is herewit 
inclosed. 
““Very respectfully, 
(Signed) “BARTON ATKINS, 
“United States Marshal. 
*‘Messrs. MUNSIE AND Co., 
“Victoria, British Columbia.” 
In the year 1887 the vessels enumerated on list on p. 178 entered Behring’s Sea after 
finishing the spring season. The names of the schooners and dates of the seizure, 
together with dates of their sale at Port Townsend, W. T., where they were taken 
after postponements and delays, also appear. They were sold on the 26th March, 
1889, currently report at the time disposed of at a nominal value. 
All the vessels named on the list, p. 179, went to sea in 1888, proceeding to Beh- 
ring’s Sea, and were, with the exception of the ‘‘Araunah,” which was seized, suc- 
cessful. This seizure was made on the 1st July of that year by the Russian schooner 
“Alexander II,” and taken to the port of Vladivostock, Russian Siberia. 
