APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 653 
boat, not belonging in the whole or in part to any person or persons the subject or 
subjects of, or owing allegiance to, His Majesty, his heirs and successors, shall repair 
to, or trade or touch at, the said Island of St. Helena, or shall be found hovering 
within 8 leagues of the coast thereof, and shall not depart from the said island or 
the coast thereof when and so soon as the master or other person haying the charge 
and command thereof shall be ordered so to do by the Governor or Lieutenant- 
Governor of the said island for the time being, or by the Commander of His Majesty’s 
nayal or military force stationed at or off the said island for the time being (unless 
in case of unavoidable necessity or distress of weather), such ship or vessel shall be 
deemed forfeited, and shail and may be seized and detained and prosecuted, in the 
same manner as is hereinbefore enacted as to ships, vessels, or boats of or belonging 
to any subject or subjects of His Majesty. 
No. 20. 
Messrs. Lampson and Co. to Foreign Office.—(Received December 30.) 
64, QUEEN STREET, London, December 30, 1890. 
Str: Since we addressed you on the 6th September last, the number 
of fur seal-skins taken in the Behring’s Sea and landed at Victoria has 
increased to such an extent, that the total catch, instead of being less, 
actually exceeds that of last year. 
This somewhat unexpected increase appears to have been due, apart 
from the favourable weather, to the larger number of schooners engaged 
in the fishery, and to the fact that the United States Gevernment 
Revenue-cutters did not in any way interfere with the fishing opera- 
tions. 
We are informed that Professor Elliott, who has been commissioned 
by the United States Government to examine into the condition of the 
Seal Islands, in the Report submitted to his Government speaks of the 
total extinction of seal life as being a question of only a few years, and 
advocates that no more seals should be killed, even on the islands, for 
some time to come. 
We have had the honour to point out to you how important an indus- 
try, at present centred in London, depends on the continuance of the 
supply of fur seal-skins, and how many people, now engaged in this 
industry, would by its disappearance be thrown out of work. 
This industry appears now to be threatened by a new danger of an 
unexpected kind. From information received, we learn that the United 
States Government, probably with the view of influencing the decision 
of Her Majesty’s Government in the Behring’s Sea fishery dispute, will 
propose to raise the duty on British manufactured fur seal-skins from 20 
to 50 per cent. ad valorem. ‘To estimate the importance of this measure, 
we should mention that, for many years past, of the Alaska fur seal- 
skins annually consigned to London, no less than 75 per cent. have been 
bought for American account and reshipped to the United States after 
having been manufactured in London. Should the United States Gov- 
ernment carry out their proposal, the skins destined for American con- 
sumption would undoubtedly be manufactured in the United States, 
with the result that another important British industry would pass 
away to a foreign country. 
We confidently trust that Her Majesty’s Government may see its way 
to protect these important British home interests, by arriving at a 
speedy settlement of the present dispute. 
We have, &c. 
(Signed) C. M. LAMPSON AND Co. 
