APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 925 
Sir J. Pauncefote to the Marquis of Salisbury.—( Received February 27.) 
[Telegraphic.] 
WASHINGTON, February 26, 1892. 
With reference to your Lordship’s telegram of the 25th instant, the 
opinion of the British Behring’s Sea Commissioners as to a modus vivendt 
may be convenient to your Lordship at this juncture. They report as 
follows: 
145 We do not apprehend any danger of serious further depletion of the fur-seal 
resorting to the Pribyloft Islands, as the result of hunting this year, unless exces- 
sive killing be permitted on the breeding islands. As a judicious temporary measure 
of precaution, however, for this season, and looking to permanent regulations for the 
fishery asa whole being established in time for the season of 1893, we would recommend 
the prohibition of all killing at sea during this season, within a zone extending to, 
say, not more than 30 nautical miles around the Pribyloff Islands, such prohibition 
being conditional on the restriction to a number not to exceed 30,000 as amaximum 
of the seals killed for any purpose on the islands. 
I believe that the necessity for the total cessation of pelagic sealing 
will be insisted on by the American Commissioners, if the question be 
referred to the Joint Commission; but I submit that it is not necessary 
for us to go beyond the opinion of our own experts, peuding arbitration. 
No. 223. 
The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir J. Pauncefote. 
(Telegraphic.] 
FOREIGN OFFICE, February 27, 1892. 
Her Majesty’s Government have had under their consideration your 
telegrams of the 25th and 26th instant, dealing with the question of 
the modus vivendi proposed by Mr. Blaine for the approaching seal- 
hunting season. 
They cannot admit in any degree the correctness of Mr. Blaine’s 
statement that there have been greater delays on the part of this country 
in the negotiations for settling the Behring’s Sea difficulty than there 
have been on that of the United States. 
The consent of Her Majesty’s Government was given last year to a 
modus vivendi solely on the ground that the preservation of the seal 
species in those waters was supposed to be endangered unless some 
interval were given during which there would be a cessation of hunting 
both on land and sea, 
No information has reached Her Majesty’s Government to lead them 
to suppose that so drastic a measure is requisite for two successive 
Seasons. 
Indeed, they are informed by the British members of the Joint Com- 
mission now sitting at Washington that there is no danger, so far as 
the sea fishery is concerned, of any serious diminution of the numbers 
of the fur-seal species as a consequence of hunting them during the 
approaching season. 
You are, however, authorized to offer to the Government of the United 
States the compromise suggested by the British Commissioners, and 
reported in your telegram of the 26th instant, viz., that during the 
