Office of the Historian

No. 19.
Mr. White to Mr. Bayard.

Legation of the United States,
London, June 20, 1888. (Received June 30.)
No. 786.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I availed myself of an early opportunity to acquaint the Marquis of Salisbury and the Russian ambassador of the receipt of your instructions numbered 864, of May 3, and shortly afterwards (May 16) his excellency and I called together at the foreign office for the purpose of discussing with his lordship the terms of the proposed convention for the protection of seals in Behring Sea. Unfortunately Lord Salisbury had just received a communication from the Canadian government stating that a memorandum on the subject would shortly be forwarded to Lbndon, and expressing a hope that pending the arrival of that document no further steps would be taken in the matter by Her Majesty’s Government. Under these circumstances Lord Salisbury felt bound to await the Canadian memorandum before proceeding to draught the convention.

I have inquired several times whether this communication from Canada had been received, but it has not yet come to hand. I was informed to-day by Lord Salisbury that an urgent telegram had been sent to Canada a week ago with respect to the delay in its expedition, and that a reply had been received by the secretary of state for the colonies stating that the matter would be taken up immediately. I hope, therefore, that shortly after Mr. Phelps’ return this Government will be in a condition to agree upon the terms of the proposed convention.

I have the honor to inclose for your information the copy of a question asked by Mr. Gourley and answered by Sir James Fergusson in behalf of the British Government with respect to the seal fishing in Behring Sea.

I have, etc.,

Henry White.
[Inclosure in No. 786.]

seal fishing in behring sea.

[Extract from The Times, Tuesday, June 19, 1888.]

Mr. Gourley asked the under-secretary of state for foreign affairs whether it was true that the United States Government had officially announced the departure of the war ship Dolphin and three other armed vessels to the Behring Sea, with instructions to seize British or other vessels engaged in seal fishing in those waters; whether Her Majesty’s Government had sent a war ship to warn masters of British sealing vessels of the consequences of infringing the Alaskan laws; and whether any of the vessels seized for alleged illegal fishing in 1886 and 1887 had been, as promised, released.

[Page 1843]

Sir J. Fergusson. In so far as Her Majesty’s Government are aware no such announcement has been made by the United States Government, nor has any British ship of war been ordered to Behring Sea. Orders have been given by the United States Government that the three British vessels seized in 1886, with their tackle, apparel, and furniture, should be restored to their owners. The vessels in question were the Onward, Caroline, and Thornton. As regards the seizures in 1887, we have not heard that any of them have been released, but proceedings in connection with all the seizures are before the American law courts.