APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 927 
who was then in England, started by the first opportunity for New 
York, and, after visiting Ottawa, arrived in Washington with his Cana- 
dian colleague, Dr. Dawson, on the 31st ultimo. On the following day 
’ (Monday, the 1st instant) I presented them formally to Mr. Blaine at 
the State Department as the British Commissioners, and I understood 
from him that they would be placed immediately in communication 
with their American colleagues with a view to proceeding at once with 
the business of the Joint Commission. 
It was not, however, until the evening of Friday, the 5th, that I 
received a note from Mr. Blaine informing me of the formal appoint- 
ment of the American Commissioners, and stating that as soon as he 
should have been ‘officially advised” by me of the appointment of 
Commissioners on the part of the British Government, the United 
States Commissioners would be ready to confer with them ‘ inform- 
ally,” but that until the Arbitration Convention should have been 
signed, the Commissioners would not be expected to agree upon or for- 
mulate any Report. This communication, which I received with sur- 
prise under the circumstances above mentioned, led to the correspond- 
ence which I have the honour to inclose, from which your Lordship 
will perceive that Mr. Blaine ultimately agreed that the Commission 
should proceed formally to business. But the first meeting of the Com- 
mnission did not take place until the 15th instant, and a whole fortnight 
was lost by delays, for which it appears to me that the United States 
Government are alone responsible. 
I beg to draw your Lordship’s particular attention to Mr. Blaine’s 
remarks in his letter of the 6th February on the selection of Commis- 
sioners made by Her Majesty’s Government, and I trust that the answer 
which I returned to that letter will meet with your Lordship’s approval. 
I have, &e. 
(Signed) JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. 
[Inclosure 1 in No. 226.] 
Mr. Blaine to Sir J. Pauncefote. 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 4, 1892. 
Srr; I have the honour to inform you that the President has this day aaunited 
and commissioned Thomas Corwin Mendenhall and Clinton Hart Merriam to act as 
Commissioners on the part of the Government of the United States in accordance 
with the Agreement which I signed with you on the 18th December, 1891, to inves- 
tigate and report, conjointly with Commissioners to be appointed by the British 
Government, upon the facts having relation to the preservation of seal life in Beh- 
ring’s Sea, and the measures necessary for its protection and preservation, with a 
view to the submission of their conclusions to the Board of Arbitrators, whose 
constitution has already been agreed upon by us. 
Until the Convention for Arbitration shall have been signed the Commissioners 
will not be expected to agree upon or formulate any Reports, but after I shall be 
officially advised by 4 you of the appointment of Commissioners on the part of 
147. the British Government, the Commissioners on the part of the United States 
will hold themselves ready to confer informally with their British colleagues at 
such time as may suit their convenience, 
I have, &c. 
(Signed) JAMES G. BLAINE. 
