292 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



December 17, 1897. — An award is made by the Victoria arbitrators 

 of $414,000 damages for the British claimants. 



February 26, 1902. — A convention (stimulated by Liebes and 

 Elkins) is agreed upon between Russia and the United States to settle 

 the claims of Liebes's vessel, James. Hamilton Lewis, and three other 

 American vessels seized by the Russian Government in the Okhotsk 

 and Bering Seas during 1889-91. The Hague is named as place of 

 convention meeting, and June 14, 1902, as date of said meeting. 

 H. H. D. Peirce and C. H. Townsend are appointed as delegates of 

 the United States to present and prosecute the claims of Liebes et al. 

 before the arbitrator. 



November 29, 1902. — An award of $28,588 is given to the claim- 

 ants in re James Hamilton Lewis, with " interest on that sum at 6 per 

 cent per annum from 1st January, 1892, until the day of full payment." 

 To the Kate and Anna, $1,488 in United States money, with "interest 

 on that sum at 6 per cent per annum until the day of full payment." 

 To the C. H. White, the sum of $32,444 in United States money 

 with "interest on that sum of 6 per cent per annum, from 1st of 

 January, 1893, to the time of full payment." To the Ca'pe Horn Pigeon 

 (whaling bark) the "sum of $38,750 in United States money with 

 interest on that sum at 6 per cent per annum from the 9th of Sep- 

 tember, 1892, until the day ofpajmient hi full." 



March 22, 1903. — Liebes, Tingle, Pence, and Townsend divide 

 that James Hamilton Lewis award as made, on this day, total sum 

 of $46,682, between them. 



December 19, 1904- — The success of these claimants at The Hague 

 stimulated Liebes and his associates hi the pelagic sealing industry 

 to prepare and have introduced Senate bill 3410; they secured a 

 favorable and unanimous approval by the Foreign Relations Com- 

 mittee of a report (No.212S) on April 13, 1904 (written by their attor- 

 neys, Don M. Dickinson et al.). This bill carries the names of 57 

 sealing vessels, in which the entire list of Liebes's fleet appears, in 

 eluding that of the James Hamilton Lewis. 



January 6-20, 1905. — Senate bill 3410 is defeated after a series of 

 heated debates running through four daily sessions of the Senate, 

 viz, January 6, 10, 19, and 20. Senators Piatt (Connecticut) and 

 Dolliver fight it. Senators Foraker, Fulton, Lodge, in chief, defend 

 it, but can not secure its passage. 



Note. — The sealing schooners which have been traced into the 

 full, and part ownership of Herman and Isaac Liebes, are found in 

 this bill as the Mary Ellen, the San Diego, the Alexander, the Otter, 

 the E. E. TiYebster, the James Hamilton Lewis, and the La Ninfa. 



ROOT'S LETTER "EXONERATING PEIRCE " AND THE FRAUD AT THE 



HAGUE CAN NOT BE FOUND. 



Before the Ways and Means Committee January 25, 1907, ex- 

 Senator Faulkner, of West Virginia, hired attorney of the seal con- 

 tractors, had the f ollowing to say about a letter written by Secretary 

 of State Elihu Root in 1906, which completely "exonerated" 

 H. H. D. Pence from any blame in The Hague fraud of 1902. He says 

 on pages 44, 45, manuscript notes of hearing: 



This subject came up when Mr. Peirce was appointed minister to Sweden, and the 

 whole question was canvassed and examined thoroughly by the Committee on Foreign 

 Relations of the Senate. It was at this time that Secretary Root wrote a letter exon- 



