764 APPENDIX ''TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
as a justification for the seizure of British ships in the open sea upon the contention 
that the interests of the seal fisheries give to the United States Government any 
right for that purpose which, according to international law, it would not otherwise 
possess.” The Government of the United States has steadily held just the reverse 
of the position Lord Salisbury has imputed to it. It holds that the ownership of 
the islands upon which the seals breed, that the habit of the seals in regularly resort- 
ing thither and rearing their young thereon, that their going out from the islands in 
search of food and regularly returning thereto, and all the facts and incidents of 
their relation to the islands, give to the United States a property interest therein; 
that this property interest was claimed and exercised by Russia during the whole 
period of its sovereignty over the land and waters of Alaska; that England recog- 
nized this property interest so far as recognition is implied by abstaining from all 
interference with it during the whole period of Russia’s ownership of Alaska, and 
during the first nineteen years of the sovereignty of the United States. 
It is yet to be determined whether the lawless intrusion of Canadian vessels in 
1886 and subsequent years has changed the law and equity of the case theretofore 
prevailing. 
I have, &c. 
(Signed) J. G. BLAINE. 
{Inclosure 2 in No. 1.] 
Sketch of North-Eastern Section of Scotland. 
[Inclosure 3 in No. 1.] 
Original Six Questions suggested by Mr. 
Blaine in his Note of December 17, 1890. 
Questions as allered and now proposed by 
Mr. Blaine. 
1. What exclusive jurisdiction in the 1. The same. 
sea now known as the Behring’s Sea, and 
what exclusive rights in the seal fisheries 
therein, did Russia assert and exercise 
prior and up to the time of the cession of 
Alaska to the United States? 
2. How far were these claims of juris- 
diction as to the seal fisheries recognized 
and conceded by Great Britain? 
2. The same. 
3. Was the body of water now known 
as the Behring’s Sea included in the 
phrase ‘‘ Pacific Ocean,” as used in the 
Treaty of 1825 between Great Britain and 
Russia; and what rights (if any) in the 
Behring’s Sea were given or conceded to 
Great Britain by the said Treaty ? 
4. Did not all the rights of Russia as 
to jurisdiction, and as to the seal fish- 
eries in Behring’s Sea east of the water 
boundary, in the Treaty between the 
United States and Russia of the 30th 
March, 1867, pass unimpaired to the 
United States under that Treaty ? 
5. What are now the rights of the 
United States as to the fur-seal fish- 
5 eries in the waters of the Behring’s 
Sea outside of the ordinary terri- 
torial limits, whether such rights grow 
out of the cession by Russia of any spe- 
cial rights or jurisdiction held by her in 
such fisheries or in the waters of Beh- 
ring’s Sea, or out of the ownership of the 
breeding islands and the habits of the 
seals in resorting thither and rearing 
their young thereon and going out from 
the islands for food, or out of any other 
fact or incident connected with the rela- 
tion of those seal fisheries to the terri- 
torial possesions of the United States? 
5. Was the body of water now known 
as the Bebring’s Sea included in the 
phrase ‘ Pacific Ocean,” as used in the 
Treaty of 1825 between Great Britain 
and Russia; and what rights (if any) in 
the Behring’s Sea were held and exclusively 
exercised by Russia after said Treaty ? 
4. The same. 
5. Has the United States any right, and, 
if so, what right, of protection or property 
in the fur-seals frequenting the islands of 
the United States in Behring’s Sea when 
such seals are found outside the ordinary 
3-mile limit? 
