400 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
The proceedings of the United States cruizers in seizing and seques- 
trating—and, in some cases, confiscating—the vessels and cargoes of 
British subjects engaged in fisheries on the open sea, have caused—as, 
no doubt, your Lordship is too well aware—excessive and prolonged 
irritation amongst our fellow-citizens of the Canadian Dominion, as it 
would appear that those in command of Her Majesty’s vessels on the 
Pacific Coast feel themselves, for some reason, unable to check the 
high-handed proceedings of the United States cruizers; while those 
measures of redress, long since demanded by Her Majesty’s Govern- 
ment, and ostensibly conceded by the United States Government, do 
not appear to have ever been carried out, or compensation made to the 
victims of admittedly lawless seizures. 
Our Committee are more free in addressing your Lordship on this 
subject, inasmuch as the principles of international law involved in 
these transactions, and the violation of established Regulations affect- 
ing the freedom of the seas, both seem so clear, that they feel per- 
suaded that the whole subject has only to be brought afresh to the 
serious attention of the United States Government to insure a settle- 
ment of the questions at issue and the termination of a grave occasion 
for irritation and complaint on the part of Her Majesty’s Canadian 
subjects. 
In venturing thus to press this international question on the atten- 
tion of Her Majesty’s Government, our Committee take leave to refer 
to your Lordship’s despatch of the 10th September, 1887, in which the 
whole history of the case is clearly recapitulated, and the judicial prin- 
ciples concerned are cogently indicated. 
Our Committee trust that now that public attention has been again 
drawn to this cause of prolonged friction, the arguments in the above- 
named valuable State paper will be again placed before the authorities 
of the United States, and feel persuaded that an amicable settlement 
may now be speedily sought for and attained. 
We have, We. 
(Signed) W. Martin Woop, Vice-Chairman. 
J. FREDK. GREEN, Secretary. 
365 No. 251. 
The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir J. Pauncefote.—( Substance telegraphed.) 
FOREIGN OFFICE, December 7, 1889. 
Sir: I have been informed that a telegram has been received by the 
Secretary of State for the Colonies from the Governor-General of Canada, 
reporting that his Council have expressed the following views in regard 
to reopening negotiations with the United States Government on the 
subject of the Behring’s Sea seal fishery. 
It is held by the Government of Canada, on evidence which they 
deem sufficient, that no real danger exists of the extermination of the 
seal fishery in Behring’s Sea. They therefore contend that, if the 
United States Government are not of that opinion, that Government 
should make the proposals which they consider necessary for the pro- 
tection of the species. 
If, however, the renewal of negotiations is considered expedient by 
Her Majesty’s Government, Canada will agree to that course on the 
following conditions: 
