812 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
46 INO ati 
Sir J. Pauncefote to the Marquis of Salisbury.—( Received July 2.) 
WASHINGTON, June 22, 1891. 
My Lorp: I have the honour to inclose, with reference to previous 
correspondence on the subject of the modus vivendi in Behring’s Sea, 
copy of a protest, as published in the “Washington Post” of the 20th 
instant, which has been filed by the North American Commercial Com- 
pany with the Treasury Department against the President’s Proclama- 
tion limiting the catch of the Company for the current year to 7,500 
seals, and for which indemnity is claimed. This protest also contains 
a claim by the Company for an indemnity against the United States on 
account of losses incurred during last year’s fishery season by reason of 
their operations on the islands having been brought to a close on the 
20th July before the expiration of the sealing season, by order of Mr. 
Goff, the United States Agent. 
I likewise have the honour to inelose a cutting from the “New York 
Times,” commenting on this protest of the Company. 
I have, We. 
(Signed) JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. 
{Inclosure 1 in No. 77.] 
Detract from the “Washington Post” of June 20, 1891. 
The North American Commercial Company, through its attorney, Judge N. L. 
Jeffries, filed the following protest with Acting Secretary Spaulding, of the ‘Treasury 
Department, yesterday : 
“Sirk: The North American Commercial Company, of San Francisco, California, 
the lessee of the right to take fur-seals for their skins on the Islands of St. Paul and 
St. George in Alaska, for a period of twenty years from the 1st May, 1880, respect- 
fully represents: 
“1. Thatit has at all times since the execution of said lease, in every particular, 
faithfully performed the stipulations and convenants of the same, and has strictly 
observed the law in regard thereto, and obeyed the regulations, orders, and direc- 
tions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating to the same; that it is doing so now, 
and will continue to do so in the future. 
“‘Said Company further represents that previous to and at the time of the letting 
of said Contract the Secretary of the Treasury, by public advertisement, assured 
said Company that it would be permitted to take under said Contract on said islands 
a quota of 60,000 seal-skins during the year 1890, and said Company, relying upon 
that assurance, submitted its bid for said privilege and made its estimates upon that 
basis, and agreed to pay to the United States a sum three times greater than paid by 
the tormer lessee for said privilege, which proposal was accepted by the United 
States, and a lease was thereupon executed and delivered in accordance with said 
proposal submitted by said Company in response to said advertisement. 
“That thereupon said Company, under directions of the Secretary of the Treasury, 
purchased from the former lessee, the Alaska Commercial Company, its plant, prop- 
erty, and fixtures on said islands, including a large number of dwelling-houses for 
the native inhabitants, also warehouses, storehouses, salt houses, merchandize, goods, 
provisions, boats, and implements, and paid therefor a large sum of money. Said 
Company at the same time purchased a large stock of supplies, provisions, goods, 
and merchandize for the wants of the inhabitants of the islands, and chartered a 
steam-ship at great cost for the purpose of transporting said supplies from San 
Francisco to the seal islands, a distance of over 2,000 miles, and to bring back to 
San Francisco the 60,000 seal-skins, which, by its said Contract, it had been author- 
ized to take dniing the season of 1890, and for which it incurred a great expense. 
“Said Company further represents that, in violation of the terms and stipulations 
of said Contract without good cause therefor, and without any assertion or pretence 
by the United States or its Agents that said Company had been derelict or at fault 
in any respect, the United States compelled said Company to cease taking seals on 
