APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 869 
27th May, 1891, had been instructed to keep the Company’s quota of 
skins under 7,500 until further orders. Subsequently he was instructed, 
by telegraph, to “ modify his instructions in accordance with the Proe- 
lamation.” On the 20th June he recorded in the official log that the 
Company’s quota of 7,500 had been reached. He permitted, however, 
two killings to take place for “food skins” on the 25th and the 29th 
June, yielding 609 skins, before he received the Proclamation on the 
2nd July. The Treasury Agent did not seem to be aware that all 
accepted food skins are placed to the account of the Company’s quota. 
On receipt of the Proclamation, Major Williams, having no other 
instructions, stopped all killing, and, as he told us, thought the matter 
over for three days, consulting with Captain Cotton, the United States 
Senior Naval Officer in Behring’s Sea, and others. He came to the con- 
clusion that the limit of catch was to be within the period between the 
signing of the modus vivendi and May 1892. Between the 15th June 
and the 5th July about 3,600 skins had been taken, and Major Williams 
decided that 3,900 more skins were to be taken before next May. Up 
to the beginning of August, when the skins became ‘“stagey” and 
unmarketable, about 1,000 more skins had been taken, leaving a total 
of 2,900 skins to be taken in the autumn, after the “‘stagey” season ends 
in November. 
22. On discussing the matter with Professor Mendenhall and Dr 
Merriam, the Behring’s Sea Commissioners (designate) of the United 
States, we found they had talked over matters with the local officials, 
but had no previous knowledge of the subject or of the correspondence 
in which the President’s intention was expressed. On the 5th August, 
1891, Dr. Merriam again opened the subject to me, saying that Colonel 
Murray had explained that only 6,000 had as yet been killed, adding, 
“Of course it only means after the date of signing the modus vivendi.” 
Professor Mendenhall, chancing to come up at the same time, concurred 
in Dr. Merriam’s view. In reply to my inquiry they did not know that 
Major Williams had been instructed on the 27th May, on his way to the 
islands, to stop killing at 7,500; nor thatin the official log was the entry 
on the 20th June, ‘‘This filled the quota of 7,500.” 
23. It would therefore appear that the United States authorities on 
the islands had not been in any way specially instructed beyond the 
clear order given on the 27th May, 1891, long antecedent to the 15th 
June, to stop killing when 7,500 had been taken—an order obviously in 
keeping with the agreement come to preliminary to the signing of the 
modus vivendi, that on the President’s suggestion the Company should 
be permitted this year to take 7,500 skins and no more, and these only 
for a specific purpose. 
SUMMARY. 
24. Mr. Blaine wrote on the 4th May, 1891: “The President cannot 
leave these worthy and innocent people to the hazard of starvation, 
even to secure any form of agreement with Lord Salisbury touching 
seallife.” The President therefore suggests, and Lord Salisbury accepts, 
the proviso that the Company should be allowed, in the words of the 
President, ‘“*to take a sufficient number of seals, and no more 
97 than sufficient, to recompense the Company for their outlay in 
taking care of the natives.” Major Williams, the particularly 
able Treasury Agent on the islands, was placed in a position of much 
complexity and difficulty, and decided to the best of his judgment. 
Indeed, every one concerned has acted in perfectly good faith. It was 
entirely due to the meagreness and misunderstanding of instructions 
that the remarkable results above detailed have been brought about. 
