APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 413 
378 No. 257. 
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.—(Received December 14.) 
DOWNING STREET, December 14, 1889. 
Sir: With reference to the letter from this Department of the 13th 
instant, inclosing copy of a telegram which had been addressed to the 
Governor-General of Canada, relating to the proposed negotiations at 
Washington on the subject of the establishment of a close time for seals 
in the Behring’s Sea, I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, 
to be laid before the Marquis of Salisbury, a copy of a telegram received 
from the Governor-General, in reply, communicating the views of his 
Government on points connected with this matter. 
Tam, &e. 
(Signed) JOUN BRAMSTON. 
{Inclosure in No. 257.—Telegraphic.] 
Lord Stanley of Preston to Lord Knutsford. 
(Received December 14, 1889.) 
Substance of Resolutions passed at meeting of Council yesterday : 
Mare clausum doctrine has been asserted by United States of America, by instruct- 
ing its officers to seize vessels in mid-ocean, by setting up that doctrine in the 
Courts, by obtaining condemnation of ships on that doctrine, and by selling the prop- 
erty of Canadians under such condemnation. Canada expects British Government 
not to conclude arrangement unless Behring’s Sea declared in it to be free. She 
adheres to opinion that agreement as to close season and preservation of seals should 
be subject to her approval as one of the parties chiefly interested in the question. 
Agreement as to close season should be terminable by each of the Parties to the 
Treaty. Canada fails to understand objection of the United States of America to a 
Canadian being direct Representative of Her Majesty’s Government; but to avoid 
delay, will defer without further protest to course decided on by Her Majesty’s 
Government. 
No. 258. 
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.—( Received December 16.) 
DOWNING STREET, December 16, 1889. 
Sir: I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to 
request that you will inform the Marquis of Salisbury, with reference 
to the telegram from Lord Stanley of Preston on the proposal to resuine 
negotiations respecting the Behring’s Sea (a copy of which was trans- 
mitted to you in my letter of the 14th instant), that his Lordship, after 
conferring with Sir Charles Tupper, is of opinion that the concurrence of 
the Canadian Government in that proposal is now sufficiently complete, 
and that Her Majesty’s Minister at Washington may be instructed to 
make a formal communication to the United States Government on the 
subject. 
Lord Knutsford observes with satisfaction that the Dominion Govern- 
ment, although strongly impressed with the necessity arising out of the 
acts which it recapitulates in the first sentence of the telegram under 
consideration of concluding no arrangement which does not either com- 
prise or rest upon a definitive assurance as to the freedom of the Behring’s 
Sea, is now willing to waive the requirement that a declaration by the 
