776 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
No. 23. 
Sir J. Pauncefote to the Marquis of Salisbury.—( Received June 9.) 
[ Telegraphic. ] 
WASHINGTON, June 9, 1891. 
The draft of a note in answer to the proposals for a modus vivendi 
contained in your Lordship’s telegram of yesterday, which will be 
addressed to me to-morrow, has just been shown to me. 
The words in Article 2 ‘as food skins, and not for tax and shipment,” 
are objected to by the President on the grounds that such a provision 
would preclude the export and sale of the skins for the purpose 
described in Mr. Blaine’s note of the 4th May, 7. e., to cover the cost of 
clothing, food, and fuel for the native inhabitants of the island. 
The President insists on the limitation of the power of seizure pro- 
vided for in Article 3 to the waters “outside the ordinary territorial 
limits.” On this point I beg to refer your Lordship to my telegram of 
the 6th instant. 
He objects to the provision in Article 5 for the appointment of a Joint 
Commission as having no proper place in the modus vivendi, but he will 
give the suggestion ‘‘a full consideration in connection with the nego- 
tiation for arbitration.” 
Article 6, as to a joint note to Russia, is objected to on the ground 
that, westward of the line of demarcation, the United States Govern- 
ment has no power to agree to reciprocal action if Russia should make 
it a condition of adhesion. 
The note concludes by stating that the President is prepared to sign 
at once the first four Articles proposed by your Lordship, with the 
omission in Article 2 and the additional clause in Article 3 specified 
above, if the Agreement can be immediately put into force. 
I fear that lack of time will prevent us carrying the negotiation 
further, but I will use my best efforts to induce the United States Gov- 
ernment to agree positively, as one of the terms of arbitration, to a 
provision for a Joint Commission. 
No. 24. 
The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir Rh. Morier. 
{Telegraphic.] 
ForEIGN OFFICE, June 9, 1891. 
In consequence of the existing statutory limitations to the powers of 
the United States Executive, Her Majesty’s Government propose that 
there shall be a close time in Behring’s Sea for this season on land and 
sea only, to the east of the line of 1867. 
They are only asking, therefore, that Russian subjects shall be for- 
bidden during this year "tr om sealing to the east of that line by sea, as 
Russia has no land to the east of it; and that we shall be allowed to 
stop vessels sailing under the Russian flag which are so employed. 
But as the United States Government maintain that they have a 
15 right to exclude all ships of whatever nation from that part of 
Behring’s Sea, they can hardly join in this request without 
stultifying themselves. 
“ss. 
