FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. XLV 



the bigli contracting Powers from becoming the pretext of an illicit 

 trade, it is agreed that the citizens of the United States shall not re- 

 sort to any point where there is a Eussian establishment, without the 

 [)ermission of the governor or commander ; and that, reci[)roi;al.ly, tlie 

 subjects of Eussia shall not resort, without permission, to any estab- 

 lishment of the United States upon the Northwest coast. 



Art. III. It is moreover agreed that, hereafter, there shall not be 

 formed by the citizens of the United States, or under the authority of 

 the said States, any establishment upon the Northwest coast of Amer- 

 ica, nor in any of the islands adjacent, to the north of tifty-four degrees 

 and forty minutes of north latitude ; and that, in the same manner, there 

 shall be none formed by Russian subjects, or under the authority of 

 Kussia, south of the same parallel. 



Art. IV. It is, nevertheless, understood that during a term of ten 

 years, counting from the signature of the present convention, the ships 

 of both Powers, or which belong to their citizens or subjects respect- 

 ively, may reciprocally frequent, without any hindrance whatever, the 

 interior seas, gulfs, harbors, and creeks, upon the coast mentioned in 

 the preceding article, for the purpose of fishing and trading with the 

 natives of the country. 



Art. V. All spirituous liquors, fire-arms, other arms, powder, and 

 munitions of war of every kind, are always excepted from this same 

 commerce permitted by the preceding article ; and the two Powers en- 

 gage, reciprocally, neither to sell, nor suffer them to be sold, to the na- 

 tives by their respective citizens and subjects, nor by any person who 

 may bo under their authority. It is likewise stipulated that this restric- 

 tion shall never afford a pretext, nor be advanced, in any case, to au- 

 thorize either search or detention of the vessels, seizure of the mer- 

 chandize, or, in fine, any measures of constraint whatever towards the 

 merchants or the crews who may carry on this commerce; the high con- 

 tracting Powers reciprocally reserving to themselves to determine upon 

 the penalties to be incurred, and to inflict the punishments in case of 

 the contravention of this article by their respective citizens or subjects. 



Art. VI. When this convention shall have been duly ratified by the 

 President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the' Sen- 

 ate, on the one part, and, on the other, by His Majesty the Emperor of 

 all the Ilussias, the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington in 

 the space of ten months from the date below, or sooner if possible. 



In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this 

 convention, and thereto affixed the seals of their arms. 



•Done at St. Petersburg the 17-5 April, of the year of Grace one thou 

 sand eight hundred and twenty-four. 



Henry Middleton. [l. s.] 



Le Comte Charles de Nesselrode. [l. s.J 



Pierre de Poletica. [l. s.] 



KussiA, 1SG7. — Convention between the United States of America a7id His 

 Majesty the Emperor of Eussia,for the cession of the liussian possessions 

 in N'orth America to the United Slates, concluded at Washington March 

 30, 18G7; ratification advised by Senate April 9, 18G7 ; ratified by Presi- 

 dent May 2S, 18G7 ; ratifications exchanged at Washington June 20, 18G7; 

 proclaimed June 20, 18G7. 



The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all 

 the Ilussias, being desirous of strengthening, if possible, the good un- 

 derstanding which exists between them, have, for that puri)ose, ap- 



