414 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
United States Government to that effect shall precede the resumption 
of the negotiations, and to leave for future consideration at what time 
and in what manner this assurance shall be obtained. 
On the second point raised in the telegram, Lord Knutsford thinks 
there can be no question as to complying in some form or other with 
the desire of Canada that no rules as to a close season shall be finally 
adopted unless she concurs in them. As the negotiations between the 
Representatives of the three Powers will be a diplomatic discussion ad 
referendum, and as Great Britain has no special interest in the Behring’s 
Sea except on behalf of the Canadian fishery, this country could have 
no object in assenting to any conclusions unacceptable to the Canadian 
Government. 
The telegram does not state the reason for which the Dominion 
379 Government proposes that any one party to the Agreement shall 
have the power of terminating it, and, on this point, it will be 
desirable to consider the text of the Resolutions of the Privy Council 
when received; but Lord Knutsford apprehends that, as the Dominion 
Government considers it demonstrable that no close time is needed for 
the preservation of the seals, @ fortiort it holds that any close time 
which may be prescribed in the first instance may possibly, after trial, 
be found needlessly injurious to the fishery, and should be practically 
subject to revision. 
As the Dominion Government withdraws its stipulation for the direct 
representation of Canada in the negotiations, it will not be necessary 
to discuss this point further at the present time, and Lord Knutsford 
concludes that simultaneously with the discussion as to the close time, 
a Commission, comprising a Canadian Representative, but upon which 
russia will not- be represented, will consider the compensation to be 
paid inrespect of the seizures of British vessels, and other losses arising 
out of past interference with them. 
Lord Knutsford would therefore propose, with Lord Salisbury’s con- 
currence, to reply to this telegram that Her Majesty’s Government is 
glad to find that the Dominion Government consents to the negotiation 
in the form proposed, and will consult that Government at stages, and 
conclude no agreement as to aclose time without their approval, and 
requests that a Representative of the Dominion Government may be 
ready to proceed to Washington as soon as Sir J. Pauncefote has received 
his instructions. 
lam, &e. 
(Signed) ROBERT G, W. HERBERT. 
Foreign Office to Colonial Office. 
FOREIGN OFFICE, December 16, 1889. 
Str: T have laid before the Marquis of Salisbury your letter of the 
10th instant, in which you inclose copies of two despatches from the 
Deputy Governor of Canada, forwarding claims for compensation for 
losses sustained by the owners of the British schooners “Juanita” and 
‘ Pathfinder,” in consequence of the seizure of those vessels by the 
United States authorities in Behring’s Sea. 
