544 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir L. West. 
FOREIGN Orrick, March 17, 1888. 
Sin: Since furwarding to you my despatch of the 22nd ultimo, I have been in 
communication with the Russian Ambassador at this Court, and have invited his 
Excellency to ascertain whether his Government would authorize him to discuss 
with Mr. Phelps and myself the suggestion made by Mr. Bayard in his despatch of 
the 7th February, that concerted action should be taken by the United States, Great 
Britain, and other interested Powers, in order to preserve from extermination the 
fur-seals which at certain seasons are found in Behring’s Sea. 
Copies of the correspondence on this question which has passed between M. de 
Staal and myself is inclosed herewith. 
{ request that you will inform Mr. Bayard of the steps which have been taken, 
with a view to the initiation of negotiations for an Agreement between the three 
Powers principally concerned in the maintenance of the seal fisheries. But in so 
doing, you should state that this action, on the part of Her Majesty’s Government, 
must not be taken as an admission of the rights of jurisdiction in Behring’s Sea 
exercised there by the United States authorities during the fishing seasons of 1886-87 
and 1887-88, nor as affecting the claims which Her Majesty’s Government will have 
to present on account of the wrongful seizures which have taken place of British 
vessels engaged in the seal fishing industry. 
Tam, &c. 
(Signed) SALISBURY. 
In pursuance of this despatch, the suggestion made by Mr. Bayard 
to which I referred was discussed, and negotiations were initiated for 
an Agreement between the three Powers. The following despatch con- 
tains the record of what I believe was the first meeting between the 
Representatives of the three Powers upon the subject: 
The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir L. West. 
_  ForeIGN OFFICE, April 16, 1888. 
Str: The Russian Ambassador and the United States Chargé d’A ffaires called upon 
me this afternoon to discuss the question of the seal fisheries in Behring’s Sea, which 
had been brought into prominence by the recent action of the United States. 
The United States Government had expressed a desire that some Agreement should 
be arrived at between the three Governments for the purpose of probibiting the 
slaughter of the seals during the time of breeding; and, at my request, M. de Staal 
had obtained instructions from his Government on that question. 
At this preliminary discussion it was decided provisionally, in order to furnish a 
basis for negotiation, and without definitively pledging our Governments, that the space 
to be covered by the proposed Convention should be the sea between America and 
Russia north of the 47th degree of latitude; that the close time should extend from 
the 15th April to the Ist November; that during that time the slaughter of all seals 
should be forbidden, and vessels engaged in it should be liable to seizure by the 
cruizers of any of the three Powers, and should be taken to the port of their own 
nationality for condemnation; that the traffic in arms, alcohol, and powder should 
be prohibited in all the islands of those seas; and that, as soon as the three Powers 
had concluded a Convention, they should join in submitting it for the assent of the 
other Maritime Powers of the Northern Seas. 
The United States Chargé d’Affaires was exceedingly earnest in pressing on us 
the importance of dispatch on account of the inconceivable slaughter that had 
493 been, and was still, going on in these seas. He stated that in addition to the 
vast quantity brought to market, it was a common practice for those engaged 
in the trade to shoot all seals they might meet in the open sea, and that of these a 
great number sank, so that their skins could not be recovered. 
Iam, &c. 
(Signed) SALISBURY. 
It was impossible to state more distinctly that any proposal made 
was provisional, and was merely made for the purpose of enabling the 
requisite negotiations to proceed. The subsequent discussion of these 
proposals was undoubtedly delayed in consequence of the length of 
time occupied by the Canadian Government in collecting from cousid- 
erable distances the information which they required before their opin- 
ion on the subject could be thoroughly formed, and after that it was 
