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IN KEG

[C— 7U2U.;

RUSSIA. No. 3 (1893).

D E S P /V T C H

FBOU

SIR R. MORIER,

INCLOSING TUB

REPLY OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT

IN REGARD TO THE SEIZURES OV BRITISH SEALING

VESSELS BY RUSSIAN CRUIZERS

IN iilE

NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN.

Presented to both House, " " Parliam-nt by Command of Her Majesty.

June 1893.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE

BY HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE,

fRINTKRS IN ORDINARY TU HBR HAJBBI'V.

KYKK AN

Ami lu Ik pinhaseil, olther direclljr or throuKh my BookKller, from
ANU SPOTTISWOODE, E»BT IIardino Sirhit, Ki.mt St««ii KX.,

32, Abinodon Strsit, Wmtminstrr, S.W.i or
JOHN SIBNZ1E8 in Co., 12. IIakovkr Strbbt, Kdisburoh, anh

90, Wbbt Nilk Strbkt, Qlahoowi or
HODQEi<. FI00I8, & Co., Limitnl, 104. OnArTON Strbbt, Doiiin.

[C— 702U.] Price 2d.

i j ■ n p ^ i I I i M i t ^'mm^mym' ji^^^ n i h i

nes|)iitch from Sir K. Moiier, incloaiiii> tlio Heply <>f the Russian
Govornmoiit in rigard Id tI;o Soi/iircs of i British Scaling
VossL'ls 1)V llussiiiii C'lnizers iii the North l*iUMfif Ocean.

Sir R. Morier to tho Earl of Roselicri/. — {Received June Ifi.)

My Lord, SI. Pet.ei\sbimjh, June 12, 1893.

I HAVE received from M. Chiclikiue ii reply to my notes of tlio 1 7th (29th) Noveinl)er,
4th (16th) and I'll) (21st) December, resi)ecting the ciiptiire of Cariixlian scalors in the
Jkliring Sea. This note transmits two inclosures, ijivini; the substance of the Rejiorts of
the Special Commission appointed to examine and pronounce upon the question. The
first has reference to the complaints and iiccusjtions h'.'oui^ht by the crews of some ot the
sealers for hardships declared to have been suffered at the hands of the officers by whom
they were captured. .As these were mainly directed airainst Captain dc Livron, Com-
uwnder of the " Zabiaka," and have been refuted by the declarations of that officer, who
was cited before the Commission and cross-examiiicd by them, I think it right to observe
that I have asceitaincd beyoi.d a doubt that Captain de Livron is a .straightforward sailor
and an honourable ffcntlcnian, quite incapable of tlie brutalities imputed to him by the
captains of the " Willie McGowan " and tlie " Ariel." It is also worth remarking that the
evidence of some of the other captains, especially that of the master of the " Vancouver Belle,"
stand in the strongest contrast '.xitli that of the above-named masters. Lastly, the infor-
mation now furnished to us entirely confirnis my view of the case as suggested in my
not-.' of the 17th (2flth) November, that the persons really responsible for the hardships
suffered were the civil authorities of PetropavlovsU, and not the naval. As regards these,
M, Chiclikine states that the iiggrieved parties can, in the ordinary course of law, seek
redress either from the .superi;u' naval authorities or through the competent Tribunals.

The second M; niorandum is of far greater importance, because it lays down the
general ])rinciple, in virtue of which the schooners were captured. It is as follows: —

That the canoes and their crews are part and i)arcel of the schooners ; they arc the
instruments with which the latter carry on their li^ilinl; operations, and in the present
cases they were furnished with the special appliances, viz., clubs for t!ie destruction of seals
on shore, and wholly useless for the purposes of |)elagic hunting. A schooner, therefore,
whose canoes can be proved to have hunted seals within territorial waters, though herself
ca[)tured outside those water?, is as criminally responsible for the acts as the canoes
thentselvps, and even if captured in the ojjen seas becomes good prize : " Dans son
appre'ciation de la legalitd des captures ett'ectu^cs .... la Commission s'est inspiree d'un
principe dont on ne saurait contester Ic i)on droit et I'dquite. EUe a reconnu de bonne
prise tous les batiments dont les chaloupes avaient ete apcr9ues ou arrtitees dans nos eniix
tcrritoriales. Jl est indeniable en etlet (juo les chaloupes constituent, juridiqucnient
pnrlant, une dependancc du schooner auquel elles appartiemient. F^eur saisie dans des
eaux tcrritoriales rend par consequent parfaitement legal rnrrcst.ition du bAtiment dont
elles font en ()uelque sortc parlic. S'il en 6tait antrcment, nn schooner pourrait impune-
nicnt faire la chasse nux otaries sur les cotes en y envoynnt scs chaloupes, et enfreiiidre
oinsi rinviolnbilite des eaux terriliirinles, tout en se tenant lui-uu'me hors des dites
eaux."

Applying this principle to the case of the six captured school. <, M. Chie'ddne
informs me that four of thi;m, the " Marie," " Uosie Olsen," " (."annolite," and " Vancouver
Belle," have been adjudged good prizes, as the evidence that their respective canoes
cai)tured seals either actually in the rookeries or within the .'J-miie limit was conclusive;
whereas, though the moral evidence was equally conclusive in regaril to the "Willie
McGowau " and " Ariel," the canoes themselves had not been actually seen within the
territorial waters.

Acco.^>ngly, as regards the two latter, the llussiiin Government k rciuly to entertnin
the question of indemnifying the ownerH iind the crews.

A I'iict elicited in tiic course of these in(|niric8, viz., the enormous proportion of
femnles — as mucli as 90 y)er cent. — found on board the sealers, nnd caught cither while
with young or nursin;;, at a time when it is impossible for them to leave the rookeriis,
iiHords a very conclusive proof of the skill and knowledt;e with which these poaehiiiL;
e.K|ie(lition8 are conducted and of iheir deadly destructiveness.

V . , (Signed) ' H. IJ. I). MOHIKK.

Inclosure 1.

M. Chirhkine to Sir R, Morier.

W. I'Ambassadeur, Sainl-Pelersbourg, le 29 Mai (10 ,/uin), 1893.

J'AI cu rhonneur dc recevoir Ifs notes que votre Kxcellence a bien vouin adresser an
Ministere Imperial en date du 17(2!)) Novembre, du 4 (10) et du it (21) Ddccmbre, 1892,
rcliitivement ix I'arrestation dans In iMer de Hchring de schooners ft de chaloupes de peche
C'aiiadiennes par des croiseurs Russcs.

Une Commission Speeiale ayant ete insiituee par Decret Imperial pour Tcxanicn des
cniidilions dans lesquelies ces arrestations avaient (5te faite.s, le Ministere Lnperial n'a pas
iimn(|ue de soumcttrc les depositions (" alhdavits") des eapitaines et des e(iuipai,'cs des
schooners en que.stion annexees aux notes susineiiticnn^cs.

En repnnse h ces communications je me fais un devoir, .M. I'Ambassadeur, dc vous
traasmettre aujourd'hui les den.\ notices ci-jointes.

Votre Excellence voudra bien relever de la lecture dc la premiere de ces pieces (pi'elle
fait justice des assertions des e(|uipages Canadiens quant aux privations (pi'on Icur anrait
iiirii;;ees a Pttropavlovsk. Dc I'avis du Gouvcrnemenl Imperial la Commission a pleinc-
uient eiucide celfe inati^re. 'I'outefois, si les interesses le jugeaien^ necessaire, ils ont la
fatulle de se servir du recouis regulier instil ue par hi loi, |)our presenter leiu's rddamations
suit a l'autorit6 superieure de la Marine, soil au Tribunal competent.

Quant aux declarations des eapitaines des biktiments Canadicns, d'apr^s Icsquelles ils
auraicnt et(5 menaces d'6tre traduits duvant une cour martiale ou deportds en Siherie, la
Commission ne les a pas eru de natuic a (5trc prise* au serieux. Formellement niecs par
le Ca|)itBine de Livron, ces menaces n'auraient eu aucune raison d'etre deji» par ce liiit (|uc
la sia;nature du protocole d'arrestation par le capitaine c!u schooner n'dtait nullement
indispensable pour la validite de cet acte.

La Commission a releve en niOme temps connne cntierement mal Ibndde une ddcla-
ration du capitaine de " TAriei " se rapportant u une prdtendne insulte que nos inarins
aiiraient faite au pavilion Britannitjue. Une telle assertion aurait constitue une oHense a
noire propre flotte, si son auteur s'dtait rendu conipte de sa porlee, et avail bien pesd scs
ptuules au lieu de viser uniquement a exciter des siisceptibiiitds nationales. Ni la dis-
cipline n.ilitaire, ni le respect de lout pavilion etranj^er comme tel, (jui caracterise nos
aiarins, ne permettenl de supposer un seul instant que des hommes d'un i'(|uipase de guerre
Russe aient pu se permeltre une ofiense vis-a-vis du pavilion d'une nation amie. Le
Cu|jitaine de Livron a affirme ft la Commission dc la fa(;on la plus formelle qu'au moindre
fait de ce genre, il se serait livre sur ces lieux memes h la plus sdvt^re enquCtc.

La seconde notico ci-pr^s contient un examen ddt.iille des eirconstances cpii ont
acconipagn^ I'arrestation des schooners et delcurs chaloupes. Dans son apprdciatinn dc la
icf^itimild des captures effectuees par les Commandants des croiseurs Russes ct par le (Jhef
d'Arrondissement des lies du Commandeur, la Commission s'cst inspirde d'un ])rineij)e,
dont on ne saurait contester le bon droit et l'6quite. Elle a recoimu de bonne prise tons
les batimenls dont les chaloupes avait ele aper9ues ou arrdtees dans nos eaux territoriales.
11 est indeniabie, en cHet, (|uu les chaloujics constituent juridiquement parlant une
dependence du schooner auquel elks appartiennent. Leur eaisic dans des eaux territo-
riales rend par consetjuent paHaitement legale I'arrestation du bi\timent dont dies font
en quelque sorte partie. S'il en diait autrement, un schooner pourrait impundmenl fairc
la thasse aux otaries sui- les c6tes, en y er.voyanf ses chaloupes et enfreindre ainsi I'inviola-
bilile des eaux teivitoriales, tout en se tenant lui-m^nic hors des dites eaux. C'cst r* ce
point dc vue que la Cunnnission a con.''tate la reuularite de la capture des sehooncrs
"Marie," " Rosie Oisen," " Caimolite," et "Vancouver Belle," et I'elle n'a pas cru
pouvoir le faire dans les cas de la saisie des schooners " Willie Mac' wan" et " Ariel."
[fil2j li 2

On lie sauruil cependunt iiit'fonimltre lu gravitc des indices, <|ui out m\wn6 les Coinmandmits
(ic nos croiscuis h ertuctncr dcs peniiiisitions » hold do ccb dcrniers. I^e " Willie
MucGowiuj " a piis lu luite aiissilAt apr^s avoir iipcr<;u Ic croispm- Ktissc; il ij'ii pas mis
en panne siir I'injoiictiun du " Zabiaka."

Si IcConnnanilanl du noi-ciir Itiisvc n'a p:i - vn les rlmlnnpes du " Willie MattCJowan "
cliasauiit ille{;alement ToLiric dans hoa chin tenitoriales, il en avail ete avise par leg
habitants dc lu cAtc. I^ penjuisition revelu la pn'-scnce i\ l)ord des cngins servant t> la
chasse aux otarics sur la iftte ainsi quo soixanlc-seize peaux, dont ^oixantc-neuf 6ti'e8
d'aniniaux fenielles, tu^s par consequent yrtt de lu cote. Les 90 pour cent des peaiix
trouves sur " I'Ariel," avuient 6t6 probablement nussi 6t<5e8 de fcmelles-m^res, el prove-
naicnt d'otaries prises dans It-s eaux territoriales Russes.

L'iinporlance de ces donndes ne fut pas mise en doute par la Commission ; elle
ne les considdru pourtant pas comme des preuves formelles, justifiant I'arrestation dej
schooners, faute d'une condition essentielle : leurs chaloupes n'avaient pas 6t6 aperyues
chassant I'otarie dans les eanx Russes.

En portant ce qui precede i> votre connaissance, M. I'Ambassadenr, jc me fais un
devoir de vous informer, (|u'en presence des conclusions ci-dessua cxpos^es de la Commis-
sion, le Gotivcrnement Impdrial ne se rcfuserait pas i\ proc^der d une estimation de
I'indemnite in verser aux armateurs des schooners, " Willie McGowan " et " Ariel."

Veuillez, &c.
(Signd) CHICHKINE.

(Translation.)

M. TAmbassiideur, St. Petershurgh, May 29 (June 10), 1893.

I HAVE had the honour to receive the notes which your Excellency was 'so good as to
address to the Imperial Ministrj', dated the I7th (29th) November, and the 4th (I6th)and
9th (2l8t) December, 1&92, relative to the seizure in Hehring Sea of Canadian schooners
and fishing boats by Russian cruizers.

A Special Commission having been appointed by Imperial Decree to examine into the
circumstances under which tliese seizures were made, the Imperial Ministry did not fail to
lay before it the depositions (affidavits) of the captains and crews of the schooners con-
cerned which accompanied the above-mentioned notes.

In reply to these communications 1 make it my duty, M. I'Amba&sadeur, to transmit
now to you the two Reports inclosed.

Your Excellency will observe from the perusal of the first of these documents that it
deals with the assertions of the Canadian crews as to the privations alleged to have been
inflicted on them at Petropavlovsk. In the opinion of the Imperial Government the
Commission has fully elucidated this matter. Nevertheless, if the interested parties
consider it necessary, they have the ])ower to avail themselves cf the regular course
provided by law in order to present their claims either to the superior naval authorities or
to the proper Tribunal.

As regards the declarations of the captains of the Canadian vessels, according to
which they would appear to have been threatened with being brought before a court-
martial or deported to Siberia, the Commission has not considered them of a nature to be
taken seriously. These threats, which Captain de Livron has formally denied, would
have been wholly superfluous from the fact tiiat the signature of the protocol of seizure
by the captain of the schooner was not at all necessary to make that document valid.

The Commission has also noted, as entirely without foundation, a declaration of the
captain of the " Ariel " with reference to an alleged insult by our sailors to the British flag.
Such ar. n«<iertion would have been an offence against our own fleet, if its author had been
aware oi its nature and had well weighed his words, instead of only attempting to arouse
national susceptibilities. Neither the military discipline, nor the respect for all foreign flags
as such, which distinguish our sailors, allow it to be supposed for a single instant that men
belonging to the crew of a Russian man-of-war could have been guilty of an offence against
the flag ol a friendly nation. Captain dc Livron has given th" most formal assurance to
the Commission that on the slightest action of this kind he would have instituted the most
searching inquiry on the spot.

The second of the accompanying Hepoits contains a detailed examination of the
circumstances which accompanied the seizure of the schooners and their boats. In
considering the legality of the captures effected by the ('ommanders of the Russian
cruizers and by the District Governor of the Commander Islands, the Commission was
guided by a principle the justice and equity of which cannot be disputed. It recognized
as lawful seizures all vessels whose boats were seen or captured in our territorial

wiiturs. It CHiinut, indeed, lie denied, tliat tliu \nmla coimtitutc, juridically, an ii|)|icn(las;n
of the schooner to wliicli they hcloni^. Consequently their seizure in territorial
waters renders the ciipture of the vessels, of whieli they in >..Mne respects form part,
perfeetlj lci;id. If it were otherwise, n selionner eould with impunity pursue seals on liie
ponsts i)y sendin;; her hoats there, aiul thiw iiifiinxe llii- iiivioluhiiity of terrtoriiii wat'-- ,
iiltli(ni;;h hers'lf reinainin;^ outsi<le tlic said waters. Takiuii? this view of tiic in^iller, I ,.-
Coiiunission recngnizcrl tlic lepdity of tlit! seizure of the s(;liooners " Marie," " llosic
Olsiii," "Cnrmolitc," and " Vancouver Melle," but was uiuible to do so in tiiu ease of tiie
■.(•iziire of the schooners " Willirs MctJosvan " and " Aiic!." Tiicre can, however, i)e no
(|iii'slion ns to tlic serious nature of the indie itinns which induced t!ie Commanders of our
cnii/.crs to institute n search on hoard these last named vessels. The " Willie Medowan "
t()( ' flight as soon as siie had sighted the Russian rruizer, and she refused to heave-to at
the ' (unmons of the " Zabiaka."

'J'hou^'h the Comniandcr of the Kiissian eruizci did nut see the boats of the " Willie
McGowan " engaged in the illegal pursuit of sc.ds in our territorial waters, lie had been
inloniifd of it by tiie inhabitants of the coast. The search revealed the presence on board
(if implements used for sealing on the coast, as well as of seventy-six skins, of which si.vty-
iiine bad been taken from female animals, who must, therefoie, have been killed close to
the snore ; 90 per cent, of the skins found on board the " Ariel " had probablv also been
tiiken from nursing females, and belonged to seals caught in Russian territorial waters.

The importance of this evidence was fully recognizod by the Commission. Tt was not
considered, however, as amounting to positive proof such as would justify the seizure of
the schooners, owing to the absence of an essential condition: their boats had not been
."ii^lilcd in actual pursuit of seals in Russian waters.

In bringinji; what precedes to your knowledge, M. I'Ambassadeur, I consider it my
(July to inform you that, in view of the findings of the Commission as described above, the
[ui|ieiial Governmci-.t would not refuse to proceed lo an assessment of the indemnity to be
|iai(l to the owners of the schooners " Willie ^fcGowan " and " Ariel."

I have, &c.
(Signed) CIIICHK.INI:.

r, to transmit

rnclosure 2.

Rejiorl of Sptcinl Commisnion.

nmission was

LA Commission charjjee d'examiner les documents ct les depositions sc rapportant h
in saisie, op^rde par des croiseurs Russes, de bfltimcnts Canadiens qui pecliaient I'otarie
dans nos caux territoriales, a soumis ii une enquctc d^taillee les plaintes formul6es par les
c'i|iiipages de ces bfttinicnts au snjet de mauvais traitements qu'ils auraient subis a leur
(lesceiite i\ Pdtropavlovsk. Ces plaintes eons;;;nt^es dans la note de I'Ambassadeur Biitan-
ni(|ae du I" (29) Novembre, 1892, et dans les ddelarations y annexees, etaient accoin-
pnunics d'une rdclamation contre les conditions trfes oncreuses i\\x\ auraient etd conclues,
en vue du rapatriement des dquipages en question, entre le commandant du "Zabiaka"
(t le ca|)itaine du bateau Amcricain " Majestic.'' La Commission eut cgalement Ji se
prononcer sur cette reclamation, apris avoir dftment pris connaissance des circonstanccs
qui s'y ra|)portaient.

II appcrt tout d'abord, tanl des depositions verbales du Capitaine de Livron que des
documents figurant au dossier de I'aff'aire, (|ue les mesures prises par lo Commandant du
rioiscur " Zabiaka" a I'cgard des equipages des schooners arretes n'etaicnt nullemciit en
ciiiitiadicfion avec le principe mis en avant dans la note preeit6e de Sir R. Morier.
D'aprds I'Ambassadeur de Sa Majestd Britannicjue, ies homines des schooners auraient
diis etre mis en liberte en m6mc temps que les batiments etaient captures. C'est ct; (|uc
lit, en efiet, le Capitninc de Livron. Ayaiit opere la prise sans reucuntrer de resistance et
en iiyant dressd- Protocole, il s'empressa de declarer libres leurs capitaines ct leurs
equipages. AussitAt apres, conformement i\ ses instructions, il les transporta dans le port
Uiisse le plus procbe. Le fietit bourg de Petropavlovsk comptant en tout 300 habitants,
n'oHVait pas de constructions jiarticulitSres assez grandes pour qu'ils pusscnt s'y logci-. Imj
consequence, il fut propose i» ecs homnies ([ui, encore one fois, n'dtaient nullement en etat
(I'arrestation et jouissaicnt de toute leur liberie, d'occuper le seul biitiment dc I'Ktat o_ui se
trouvail disponible. Malheureusement il n'dtait pas suffisamment spacieux. Le Com-
numdant du " Zabiaka " n'en apporta que pins do soins a htlter autant que possible le
riiiiutiiemenl des eipiipages des schooners, II s'.ulressa a cet etfet au capitaine du bateau

Anu'riciiin " Mnjestic " ct iitilisu Ic schooner " IloRie Olsen," d^clar^ Idgalemcnt de piise
et dont 1p noni nvnit dti- chnngd i-n cclui dc " I'rize."

[^H ^!quipni;L-8 dcs Rchooncrs lurcnt distribucs de lu fo^on suivante: lo "Majestic"
rc^ut vinpt-trois homiiit-s du " Willie Miu tiiiwiin," viiii{t-(|uatre ilu " rAiicI," ft vingt-dcux
dc lu " Uosie Olscn." Le " Prize" en r<M;iit siv dis clinloiipfg du " I'Annie Moore," neuf du
•' Beywind," et vinpt-deux du " Vancouver Iklle." Lea homnies des schooners " Marie"
et "t armolite" fnrent ctivoyes sd-paremenl a V'ladivostok sur le croiseur "V'itiaz" et, de
lit, nu Jnpon. Durant liur si^jour h bord ot db» le premier jour de leur dcburquenicnt, il
Alt assigne aux 6(|uipnge8 1;') kopecks dc f'rais dc sul)Histancc par honitnc et par jour.
(J'cst cc (|ui ap|)crt dc la corrcspondancc oHici';llu cchang<5e entrc le Capitaine de Livron
et le Chef d'Arrondissement. En outre, le commandant du "Zabiaka" init ii icur
disposition un filet et des chaloupes, pour (ju'ils pusscnt nlJer pdcher, ct les tit aider |iar
des marins du croiseur.

Si Ics homines de la " Uosie Olsen " iic rcfurcnt leurs frais alimcntaircs (ju'& partir
du 3 Aout, c'est (|ue, jusque hi, ils ont pu consoninicr leurs propres vivrcs, qui leur
avaient et6 restitu^s ))ar ic Chef' d'Arrondissement des lies Koinniandorsky. On ne
saurait prendre au scricux les riiclanintions dc quclques honimes se |)laignant d'ovoir
dA, ('ante dc place, couchcr ii la belle dtoile. II faisait, en cffet, si clmud h
Pdtropavlovck, aux niois de .luillet et d'AoAt, que les otiiciers et lea marins du
" Zabiaka " coucluiient de preference sur le pont. Kn ce qui conccrne les effets des
Equipages, qui leur auraient etd cnlevcs ou ne leur auralent pas 6t6 tons restituds, lu
Commission s'est couvaincuc que toutes les provisions d'efllets ("stores"), vfitements, ba.s,
chaussures, &c., qui sc trouvaient Ji bord de la " Marie " et de la " Ilosie Olsen " au
moment dc Icur arrestation ont 6\.6 remises par M. (Irebnitsky aux capitaines dc ces
Mtimcnts. Leur dcmande d'etre indcmnises pour la valeur de ces provisions se trouve
done ddnu^c de fondement. Quant aux autres schooners, ic Commandant du " Zabiaka "
en proc(5dunt a Icur arrestation laissa aux hommes de leurs equipaijes tous les effets portes
par eux et leur appartenant. II crut devoir, par contre, confisquer et remctfre, contre
re^u ddtaill^, h I'autoritdde Petropavlovsk, tout cequi constituait la propridt^ des armnteurs,
y compris les provisions d'eH'cls (" stores") destinies a etre vendues aux equipages. Seuls
les hommes que se trouvaient dans les chaloupes du " Seyward " n'avaient pas dc v^te-
ments dc rechange. A I'arriv^c du schooner " Ariel " i\ P<5tropavlovsk son capitaine
rentra en possession de tout ce qui lui appurtcnuit h rexccption d'unc sommc dc
100 dollars. D^s qu'il en eht fait la declaration au Capitaine de Livron, il re9ut I'autori-
sation dc .sc rendrc a bord du schooner, accoiiipagnc d'un olficicr, pour chercher cet argent
qui lut retrouve dcrriferc Ic tiroir d'une armoire.

Lc capitaine en question dcmanda cnsuitc ti rentrer en possession du chronometre do
bord, cc (jui lui (ut, en elTet, refuse. Le rapitrietneut dcs ^(luipages a bord du "Majestic"
cut lieu en vertu d'un accord en due forme conelu avcc le capitaine de cc b&timent. Ce
dernier rerut du Capitaine de Livron : ( I) une provision de vivres complete pour quaraute-
cinq joui's, calculee d'aprds les indications monies des capitaines des schooners captur(3s ct
sur la base des R^glements de la QoUe de commerce Am<3ricainc ; (2) un nombru de
chaloupes (huit grandes et deux pctites) indis])cnsable pour quatrc vingt-sept hommes cii
cas d'avarie; (3) deui: fourneaux suppl<^mentaires pour cuire la nourriturc ; (4) dc la
vaisselle en quantity suffisantc ainsi (|u'une ciiaudt6re de cuivre I'ournies par le croiseur.
Le capitaine du " Majestic " s'ubligea it rapatrier Ics equipages moycnnant le droit de
s'appropricr ensuitc, en guise de remuneration, tous les objets qui viennent d'etre enumdres.
Les equipages dcs schooners furent log^s dans la cale au-dessus du lest. On couvrit le
fond avec dcs branches s^ches reliccs enlre dies a i'aide de cordages et sur lesquelles les
hommes de ces Equipages purcnt ^tendre les matelas qui leur furent distribues, Chacun
re9ut le sien.

Le mecontentement des capitaines des schooners doit 6tre attribue, d'apr^s les deposi-
tions du Commandant du " Zabiuka," a I'impossibilite ou s'est trouv^ le capitaine du
"Majestic," qui etait accompagnd de sa fille adulte, dc les logcr dans sa cabitic. II tut
oblige de fairc disposer po:jr cux des couchettes dans les cabines servant aux provisions.

La Cornnn'ssion a conelu de ce qui prdc^de que, si le capitaine du " Majestic " rdciainc
10 dollars par iiomme pour frais de transpoit, cette rdclamation ne saurait 6tre adinisc,
etant contraire aux conditions de I'accord conelu et signe par lui.

En cc qui conccrne la patrouille envoyce a terre par le Capitaine de Livron, cette
nicsurc f'ut prise sur la demande du C'lief d'Arrondissement de Petropavlovsk, La police
locale se trouvait, en eflet, insuthsante pour rcprimer les desordres auxquelles les hoiurnes
des schooners se livrerent dans les rues du bourg.

La conduitc de ces matelots fut des plus indisciplinees. Plusicurs fois le Commandant
du " Zabiaka " b'adressa aux capitaines des b&timents saisis, ca les priant de retablir I'ordre,

Itiment. Ce

ninU ceux-ci ddclarircnt que lea dquiita^cH lie leur oWistaient pas. 1^8 capitnincH du
" Willie MiiGowHii " ct do la " Rosie Olseii " cux-inftmea so pr(5seiU<^rcnt m <5fat d'dbridtd
cIk7. le Capitaine do Livroi) t-t lui dircnt dcs injure!*, si bicri que los luarins du cruisuur
(iuruiit IcH faire sortir de la caltiuu du C'oMiinatiilaiit.

■■ I . 1,1 - .

(Translation.)

THE Commission appointed to examine the documents and depositions relating to
the seizure by Russian cruizers of Canadian vesseU wliicli were tisliing for seals in our
tirritoiiid waters lias made a minute investigation of the complaints put forward by the
mws uf those vessels in regard to their alleged ill-treatn)cnt on lauding at Petro|)avlovsk.
Tiii'sc complaints, which were set forth in the British Ambassador's note of the 17th
(2!lth) November, 1892, and in the declarations appended to it, were accom|)ain'cd by a
reniniistrancc against the very severe conditions said to have been arranged in regard to
the rcpntriation of the crews in question between the Captain of the "Zubiuka" and the
master of the American ship " Majestic." The Commission had also to report on this
cliiiiii after having duly considered the circumstances relating to it.

In the first place it appears, fr.'/in the verbal depositions of Captain do Livron, as well
as f:oin the documents wliich formed part of the ollicial records of the atlUir, tiiat the
measures iaken by the Captain of the cruizcr " Zabiaka " in regard to tlie crews of the
ciii)tiirp<l schooners were in no way inconsistent witii the principle ciiiinciatud in the ul)ove-
iii(ntir)ncd note from Sir R. Morier. In the opinion of Her Mritaniiic Majesty's A mbas-
sndoi-, the men of the schooners ougiit to have been set at liberty at the time the ships
were seized. That is, in fact, what Captain de Livron did. Haviiii; aecom|>lished the
(npture without meeting with any resistance, and having drawn up a protocol, he lost no
lime in declaring the freedom of their captains and crews, iinmediately afterwards, in
accordance with his instructions, he conveyed them to the nearest Russian port. The
small town of Petropavlovsk, numbering in all .100 inhabitants, did not afford i)riv.»te
buildings of sufficient size to enable them to be lodged there. C'.inse(|uently, it was
proposed to these men, who, he it said once more, were in no way under arrest, and who
enjoyed full liberty, that they should occupy the only (iovernment building which was
available. Unfortunately, it was not sufficiently sjiacious. The Captain of the "Zabiaka"
only took the more pains to expedite as much u. possible the repatriation of ilie schooners*
eriws. He applied, for this purpose, to the captain of the American ship " Majestic," and
made use of the schooner " Rosie Olsen," which had been declared a lawful seizure, and
ttliose name had been changed to that of " Prize."

The crews ol the schooners were distributed in the followin'^ manner : The
".Majestic" took on board twenty-three men from the "Willie McGowan," twenty-four
Iron, the "Ariel," and twenty-two from the "Rosie Olsen;" the " Prize" took six from
the boats of the " Annie Moore," nine from the " Sayward," and twenty-two from the
" \ nncouver Belle." The men of the schooners " Marie " and " Carmolite " were sent
separately to Vladivostok in the cruizer " Vitiaz," and from thence to Japan. During
their stay on board, and from the first day of their landing, 15 kopecks per man [ler day
weie allotted to the crews for their maintenance. This appears in the official corre-
spondence which passed between Captain de Livron and the District Governor. In
addition to this, the Captain of the "Zabiaka" placed at their disposal a net and some
boats, in order that they might go out fishing, and gave them assistance by seamen from
the cruizer.

If the men of the " Rosie Olsen ' only received their subsistence allowances from
iht .'<rd August, it was because up till then they were able to live upon their own pro-
visions, which had been restored to them by the District Governor of the Commander
Islands. The complaints made by some of the men that they were obliged te sleep in the
open air owing to want of room cannot be taken seriously. As a matter of fact, it was so
hot at Petropavlovsk in the months of .Jidy and August that the ufncers and men of the
" Zuhiaka " slept on deck by preference. With respnct to the effects belonging to the
ercvvs, which were said to have been taken away, or not to have been all restored to them,
the Commission satisfied itself that all the stores, clothing, stockings, boots, &c., which
were on board the "Marie" and the "Rosie Olsen" at the time of their capture were
handed to the captains of those shi|)S by M. Grebuitsky. Their demand to be com-
pensated lor the value ot these goods is therefore groundless. As to the otiier schooners,
ti.e Cnptuiu of the "Zabiaka," when proceeding to seize them, left to the crews all the
eti'ects carried upon thiir persons and beloniiing to them. He considered it his duty, on
the other hand, to eunfiscaic and bund over to the authorities at Petropavlovsk, from
whom he took a full receipt, everylhinji, which was the property ol the ship-owners,
including the stores which were meant to be sold to the crews. The only men who had

no cliiiiigc of clotlii'H were tliosc who were in the Iraats of the " Saywiird." On the tirrivHl
i)t the Hchooiier "Ariel" nt I'etr()|iuv|uv»k, her eiiptaiii regained noHitegsion of nil th«l
helunged tu him exeepting a Hiun (>( 100 doiihiiti. As soon uh he iuid made n stilt' na-nt
(if liis 1()8,-. to Ciiptnin di; l.ivroii, he leeeived luithority to K'> "" l>ourd the itchnnticr,
aecoiiipiinied \>\ nil ofllcer, to hiok t'oi' the iiioiiev, whieh wiih louiid l)eliiiid the drawer of a
ehest.

Tile I'uptain in (juestioii then usked In huvc hui'k the nhip'is eliroiioiueter, which was
eertuirily rel'used to hiui. The repatriation of the cnws who were sent in tlie " Majestic"
took |)iiiee in pursuance ut an agreement in due fiuriii cunrhuUMl with the captain of that
ship, iiic latter received from Captain de IJvron ; (I) full rotions for forty-five days
calculated according to (he actual statements of the captains of the captured schoonen,
and hased upon the Regulations of the American mercantile marine; (2) u number of
boats (eight large and two small), indisptMisahle fur the s ifety of eighty-seven men in caw
of shi|iwr('ek ; (3) two exira ovens for cookint; the food ; (4) a sutlicient (|uantity
of crockery, as well us a cojiper boiler supplied by the erui/.er. The ciiptain of the
"Majestic" bound liimsclt' lo rep.itriatc the crews on the understanding that he should
afterwards appropriate, by way of remuneration, all the articles which have just liecn
enumerated. The crews of tiic schooners were lodged in (he hold above the ballast. Tin,'
floor was covered with dried branches, fastened together by means of ropes, and on the»c
the men were able to loy down the mattresses which wen; distriljutcd to them. One was
given lo each.

The discontent of the captains ol the schooners must be attributed, according lo the
depositions of the Cai)tain of the Zabiaka, to the fact that the captain of the " .Vlajcstic "
who wp.s accompunied by his ;;rowii up daughter, found it impossible to put them in liiit
cabin. He was obli^'rd to arrange beillis for them in the cabins used for the stores.

The Commission concluded from the above evidence that the claitn of the captain
of the ".Majestic" nf 10 dollars a-head for passage money could not be admitted, being
contrary to the terms ■>{ the agreement conclucled and signed by him.

With regard to the patrol sent asiiore by C'uptain de [.livron, this step was taken at
the request of tiie district Governor of I\tro|iavlovsk. The local police were no doubt
insulhcicnt to repres". the disturbances committed by the men of the schooner in the streets
of the town.

The conduct of these .seamen was must disorderly. Several times the captain of the
" Zabiaka " appealed to the captains of the vessels sei/ed, begging them to restore order,
but they declared that the crews would not obev them. The captains of the " Willie
McGowan " and the " Rosie Olseii " themselves came in u state of intoxication to see
Captain de Livron, and used such abusive language to him tliat the sailors of the cruizcr
had to turn them out of the captain's cabin

Inclosure .1.

Second Report of Special Commission.

I.'EXAMEN dcH circonstances (pii avaient accompagnt'; I'arrestation et la capture,
operde dans la Mer de Behring, par des croiseurs Russes, de schooners et de chaloupes
de p6ehe Canadienncs, a et(; contie a une Commission Spcciale institute par Ddcret
Imperial.

Cette Commission reyut communication des documents suivants, qui lui servirent de
base pour dlucider I'affaire en question : —

Journuux de bord, notes et cartes trouv^es sur les bStiments captures ;

Protocoles de saisie ;

R!i|)port concernant la course du croiseur " Zabiaka," ainsi que celui qui fut dresB^
par le Commandant de I'escadre du Pacifiquc ;

Affidavits communi(|uds par le Gouvcrnement Britannique et contenant les depositions
des capitaines des biltiments captures et dc leurs Equipages.

Kn meme temps, la Commission citait devant elle, pour entendre leurs depositions
verbales, le Capitaine de Livron, ex-Commandant du "Zabiaka," et le Conseiller de
Coll(^ge Grebnitsky, Chef d' Arrondissement des lies Kommandorsky.

L'lnstruction ^tablit avec la plus grande certitude cc (|ui suit :

1. Le schooner " Marie " a etd arr6td le 9 (21) Aoftt, 1892, par le Chef d'Ariondisse-
mcnt des lies Kommandorsky, M. Grebnitsky montant le vapeur •' Kotik, ' L'arrestation
a eu lieu sous le 54° 36' de latitude se]>tentrionale et sous le 168° 24' de longitude
orientale, k 7 milles de ITle de Cuivre. Deux chaloupes appartenant h ce b&timent

11 the arrivRl
1 of nil tlut
I a Btat' ini-nt
ic schooner,
1 1 rawer of a

r, which was

" MftjcRlic"

)tnin of that

y-fivL" (lays,

cl schuonera,

It number of

men in case

lit (juantity

itain of the

he should

vc just lieen

illast. The

md on theic

One was

ording lo the
" .Vlnjestic "

icin in hill
■tores.

f the eii|)tuin

niitted, being

\«us taken at
'ure no doubt
in the streets

ptuin of the
restore order,

the " Willie
cation to see
)f the cruizcr

t la capture,
de chaloupes
2 par D^cret

i servirent de

ui fut dresB^

?s depositions

s depositions
L'onseillcr de

d'Arioiidisie-
L'arrestation

de longitude
ce bfttiment

nviiietit 6t6 nncr(;ucR ot urr^tces ii 1 ! iiiillo de la cAtc. On trouva h Icur boni dix-scpt
otarics (lont (lix pas encore ecorchecs. Sans s'attaicK'r h poiirsuivrc Ics nutres chaloupes,
i|ui ehassaient un peu plus a IV'cnrt, M. f ircbnitHky nrrt^ta ie Kchooncr liii-ni<^ine et Ic mit
a ranci'i' nvnnt Ie couclier dii ^olcil dcvnnt Ic village de (ilinkn. I.c lendcnmiii matin, la
licrijuisilion (aitc tant Hiir Ie Kcliooner inic '•iir Ics chahiupes (|ui Tavaicnt rcjnint pendant
la miit. rdv^la ii Iciir bord 622 pc.iux d'otaiifs, donl TiS.') TiK^ch d'aiiiiimux fcincllcH et prises,
par coiii»c(|Ucnt, pri^s dc la c6tc. I/cxanirn du livrc de bord de la " Marie " permit de
('oii»'tatt'r (|ue ce livre n'avait pus die tciiii dcpiiiit <|uatrc joiirM el iic portait pas Ics
indications requiseK sur In course et les relaclies dc cc scliooncr.

lA'>i (Ic(;r68 de longitude ct c'c lalilude nVtnicnt morqui's (|ue daiisi Ics aliimnachs, vt
cilii avcc beaucou)) dc nt'gli(;cncc. I.c licii dc destinHtion du schooner ctait dcsii^nc par
iVxitression va{;uc '* sealinjf ^loiiiids." Lcs pcaux, <'nlcv6cs dc fcniellcs I'tjcondes,
iilti'staicnt rjuc Ich oturics nviiiciit cir ludcs pr^s dc la cote. Kii eH'ct, mix ii:ois de Juillct ct
(I'Aoi'it, dpoipic dc I'Hilaitciiiciit, Ich fcnicllen iic pcuvent s't'l<)it{iicr dcs cfttcs. Cettc
loiiclusion d'tuit encore coiitirnice par la presenci , .' n\ du sclinoncr, <lc niaillcts dont on
iC scrt cxclusivcmciit pour la cluwsc aux otarics sin I., "ftte. Dans Ha protestation «5crite,
If (n| itaiiie <lc hi " .Marie " nftirnic (|iie son bfitiineit a ctd ani'te ii OJ niillcs dc la cote.
Mais Ic chrononiMt'c tromc ti bord du schooner ctatl en xi inauvais ctut que scs indications,
coninic on I'li constntd, cccaMionnaicnt iiiic > reur (' ■ l.'i iiiillcs. JJc I'uveu nii^nin du
i'n|iilainc, 499 des otarics saisics avnicnt ('li ,. rises dans Ic^- parages de I'lle de Cuivre et
1-)H sculciiient dans ecu-; dc Vancouvei. II lie iiii |)'i.-. ijuc les tiois chaloupes do la
" Marie '' aicnt die nrr^'tes dniu; iios cuiix tcrrit(ritil . Mais il «';mct cii incme temps
rnpinion (pie M. (ircbnitsky auriiit ili*t se born . ii leur arientation. li ii'auiait |ins dd
y joindrc, coiinnc il I'a fait, cclle d'autres elialdniiis, iippartenaiit au sclinoncr " Annie
Moore " qui, lui, n a pas die ariete. Kn ell'et, Ie schooner " Annie .M^./ie," dont les
cliaioupcs i'urcnt prises, reussit a ecliappcr anx poursiiilcs. Mais ccia iiidiijue uni(|ucment
({ue les scliouncrs cnvoiciit leurs chaloupes liiiii d'eux cliasser les ^jhiries dan<- Icnrs gllcs,
tout en dcmeiirant cnx-uif'ines liors ch's eau\ territoriiilc. C'est aiiisi .•culcineiit que
" rAnnic Mooic " a pu ecliappcr A rtirrestation tandis (pie scs chabuipes dtaicnt saisies sur
111 cote par des liabitantH de la coiitree. I.e cupilaiiie de la '■ Marie " a rceonnn que I'aete
(I'arrestation uvait t'td rdfjulicrcniciit dresse, tout en refiisant cc|ieiulont de Ie signer. La
Coinniission, sc fondant sur les doniiccs ijui vii iineiit d'etre exposccs, conclut que
I'arrestation du scluioner " .Marie" avait did opiJrcc d'liiic tii(;on cntiercinciit regulit^rc. II
est incontestable (|uc Ics clialoupes constituent juridicpicment une dcpendance du
scliooncr. Leur saisii' dans des eaux tcrritoriales rend done legale I'arrestation du
hHtiment dont dies (lont pnrtie. S'il en etait aiitrciiicnt. Ic schooner ponrrait impunement
faire la chassc aux otarics sur les cOtes, en y envoyant ses chaloupes et cnfreindre ninsi
rinviolabilitd des eaiix tcrritoriales tout en se tenant liii-nu-me bors dc leurs limites.

•_'. I.c schooner " Kosic Olsen " a 6ti! ej^aleiiient arrfitc par .M. (irebnitsky, Chef
d'Airoiulissetjicnt des lies Koinnmndcrskv. La saisie, ojierec par Ie " Kotik," cut lieu Ie
14 (20) .luillct, 1892, sous Ie r>C> 2.'V de latitude septentrionalc, el sous Ie If-O' 27' de
longitude oricntalc. I.e schooner nvnit etc aper(,'u dans les caux tcrritoriales, niais ayant vu Ie
vnjicur, il avait reussi ii gagncr la iner ouvcrtc, apr^s avoir donnc a .scs chaloupes un signal
dc rallienient. Toutcfois, Ic " Kotik " et nnc elialoupe .|u'il detaclia parvinrent a saisir
(jiiatic chaloupes de cbnssc dans les eaux tcrritoriales. l/unc d'elles fut arrCtde a I mille
des cAtes de I'Ue d'Aria. Trois clinloupcs sur sept piircnt rcjoiiuire Ie schooner. Apr6s
avoir saisi Ics quatic chalou|)es, M. Grebnitsky |)ioce(hi a rarrcstatioii du schooner, et en
(ircssa protocole. I.e capiluine de la •' Kosie Olscn," cpii sc trouvait dans un dtat de vivc
surcxeitation, rclusa dc signer ect n( te, et, arrive a Pe'tropavlovsk, protesta contre la saisie
de son schooner en mcr ouvcrte. On trouva ii bord du st'booiier et des chaloupes 379
pcaux d'otarics, dont !)(J |torc cent Atees d'aninmux fcmellcs ; 377 dc ces pcaux ge
trouvaicnl a bord du school. .i- lois deux aiilrcs fureiit saisies dans des chaloupes.
L'ci|uipage se ((iiii|)()sait de six Europceiis -A de (juatorze Kalochcs. II apjiert du journal
(ic bord (jU Ic schooner avait chassc duran' tcizc jours dans Ics I'.aragcs dc I'llc dc Cuivre,
il i'aide dc scs chaloupes, (pi'il envoyait dans Ics caux lerritorialcs. IjC 12 (24) Juillet, il
y avait eu 101 otarics de tuecs. I.c journal dc bord ii't'tait pas tcnu dcpuis plusieu:* jours;
ic cliroiuuniilrc etait ciiticrcmeiit ddrang('. D'apiiis Ie capitainc de la " Rosic OLpn," Ie
schooner aurait dte arr6l«i h 38 uiillcs de la cfttc. Pour se convaincre dc I'inexnctitude de
sa deposition, il sutbt de eonstatcr, sur la carte, (pic Ic point dintcrscctiou dc hi longitude
et dc la latitude indi(|udes par Ic capitainc n'est pas h 38 inillcs mnis i\ M milles du point lo
plus rappriK'he de la cAte. II est pcrniis d'cii conclurc (pic ccs indications sunt denuecs
(Ie fondement et doniK^es aprds coup, au hasnrd.

Aprcs avoir examine toutes les circonstunces ayaut accoinpugnc I'arrestation du
scliooner " Hosic Olsen," la Commission a conclu a la rdgulariie de cctte arrestation. En
[612] V

cffet, Ics clialoupes de ces schooners ont 6l6 surprises chassant I'otarie dans les eaux terri-
torialcs.

Lc schooner en question ne se trouve pas actueilc.ncnt K Petropavlovsk mais au
Canada. II avait servi a rapatrier les e(|iii|Kigc'.s de tous Ics schooners arrfit^s. 11 a re^u
un nouvcau nom, celui de " Prize," et est command(5 par ua des capitaincs rapatri(58,
nomm6 Kopp. Le Gapitainc de Livron a depose (jue iVf. Kopp lui avait annonc6 dans
unc Icttre particulifere I'aniv^e du " Prize " h destination ; la lettre ajoutait que les
matelots niena^aient M. Kopp de le traduire en justice en rdcianiant le paiement de leurs
f!;age8 pour lc temps de la traversde. Le Capitaine Kopp setant acquittd, en rapatriant lea
equipages en question, d'une mission dont il avait (5t6 eiiarge pa.' les autoritds Russes, la
Commission consid^rc comnie (Equitable de lui aliandonnor la pro|)ri(5t6 du schooner
" Prize " a la charge de prelever sur sa valeur, pouvant dtrcdvalu/jc h GOO dollars, de quoi
siitiffairc les pretentions cusmentionndes en tant qu'elles se trouveraicnt justifiees.

3. Lo schooner "Carniohte" a ete arr6te lc 17 ("29) Aoftt, 1892, par le croiscur
" Vitiaz," coiutnande par le Capitaine Zariiie, ct battant le pavilion du Chef de I'Kscadre
du Pacifiquo. II appert des documents, examines par la Commission, que ce schooner a
^te apcr9U par le croiscur de I'autre c6te de I'isthiue situe a la pointe sud de He dc
Cuivre. Le "Carmolite" se trouvait a ce moment k 3 milles environ d'un glte d'otaries.
II vit le croiscur et, profitant de la nece-site ou se trouvait celui-ci dc tourner, pour
Tatteindre, un long redf situe ii rextreinild sud-est de I'ile, il ddploya les voiles et gagna
la mer ouverte. Mais, au bout d'une heure et demic, le eroiseur I'atteignit i\ 8 milles de la
c6te sous le 54'" 29' de latitude septenlrionale et lc 168° 2' de longitude oricntalc. Ixs
documents dc bord permirent de constater que le schooner se trouvait dcpuis le 29 Juillet
dans les eaux des lies Kommandorsky. Ijh capitaine declara que les 608 otaries dont on
trouva les ]ieaux i\ bord de son bAtiment avaient etc prises pr^s des lies de Behring et do
Cuivre. Cela contredit ses declarations annexecs a la note de I'Ambassadeur Britannique
du 9 (21) De'cembre, 1892, d'apies lesquelles la prise des otaries n'aurait eu lieu qii'^
60 milles de distance des iles. La dcelaiation du capitaine du " Carmolite " concernant
la distance de la cote oil le schooner aurait ^te arr^td, et qui serait de 25 milles, ainsi que
son assertion de n'etre pas entre dans les eaux territoriales Russes sc trouvent dgalement
dementics par des indications prdcises ; pour en deniontrer I'incxactitude, il suffit d'un calcul
base sur la ra|)idite de niarclie du eroiseur et sur rdtcndue de I'horizon vfsihle au moment
oil le schooner a dte aper9U pour la prcmi6re fois par le " Vitiaz." I^e " log-book " du
"Carmolite" n'dtait pas tenu depuis deux jcurs. II a dte dressd deux protocoles
d'arrcstation, I'un en Kusse, fautre en Anglais. En raison dc ces donndcs, la Commission
a reconnu I'arrestation du "Carmolite" comme entidrcment conf'orme aux principes du
droit international.

-I. Le schooner '■ Vancouver Belle" Cut arr6te par le croiscur " Zabiaka," le
31 .Juillet 189ii, sous le ii-i" 17' de latitude seiitentrionale et sous le 168° 12' de longitude
oricntalc, a 17 milles de I'lIc dc Cuivre. Ayant die iivcrti ])ar des garde-cAtes que ce
schooner chassait I'otarie sur la c6te, le Commandant du "Zabiaka" se dirigea vers lui.
Mais, en ehemin, il renconlra trois clialoupes du schooner " Seyward " I'aisant la chasse h
une distance de moins de 3 milles de la c6te. Leur arrestation et leur mise en remorque
prit environ deux heures, dont le "Vancouver Belle" profita pour gagner lc large. II
tut constald, aprds I'arrestation dc ce schooner, que son " log-book " n'avait pas dtd tenu
depuis vingt-quatre heures, mais les notes qui y avaient etc portdes antdrieuren\ent
indiquaient qu'il avait, H deux reprises, chass ' I'otarie le long mdme de la cAte, dans les
ddtroits qui sdpareiit les iles. On trouva d bord du biltiment les engins servant ;\ la
chasse aux otaries sur les cdtes. 88 pour cent des ri94 peaux saisies avaient dtd otdes de
femelles-mcres. II rdsulta des ddelar;itions mdmes du Capitaine Kopp (Affidavits, p. 14)
qu'il dtait 2 heures quand il avait apergu le eroiseur. Le schooner ayant dtd atteint
par le "Zabiaka" ii 4 heures, il lui e(it dtd impossible dc taire plus de 14 milles vers
le large. En raison de tout ce qui prdcdde, I'arrestation du " Vancouver Belle " a dtd
reconnue entidrement rdgulidre.

.">. La chaloupc du schooner " Marvin " et les trois chaloupes du schooner " Seyward "

mentionndes dans la note de I'Ambassadeur Britanniq lu 4 Ddcembre, 1892, h iaquelle

se trouvaient joinles les protestations dcrites des capitaines de ces biltiments, ont dtd
arfctdcs dans les conditions suivantes : I'arrestation de la premiere a dtd opdree pu.- des
habitants do I'lle de Cuivre, qui la saisirent au gite memc des otaries, quo I'dquipage avait
eommencd a exterminer ; ccUe des trois autres par le eroiseur '• Zabiaka." Les habitants
de rile I'avaient averti (|ue plusicurs clialoupes dtrangdrcs avaient abordd au glte des
otaries, et en ayant tud un certain nonibre, avaient regagne le large. Lc eroiseur s'dtant
rendu dans la oircction indiquee surprit, le 21 Juillet, h 9 milles de la pointe sud-est de
I'ile de Cuivre, trois clialoupes qui se niirent h fuir il toutes voiles et i\ loutcs rnincs.

^'o}•ant entin riiiiitilitd de ses eft'orls, lY-quipiij^e cessa dc ratner et se mit ii jeter pui-
clcssus bord Ics otaries tuecs. Mnis il n'nvait pns encore fini ccltc besognc que le
croiscur nviiit arretc Ics ti'oi8 embarcntions, ii bord dcsquelles on trouva encore huit otaries.
Lcs It'tes elaicnt fracass^es cc qui proiivait bieri que les aniinaux avaicnt itc tuds ii coups
(Ic luarfelets, (inns leur gltc, et non ii coup de i'usil, in nicr. L' equipage dcs ehaloupes
ii|i| iirlcnant nu sciiooncr " Seyward " fut transport^ a bord du "Zabiai<:t" a Pctro-
paviovsii ft li's liotnmes de la baleini^re, detachik' par le " .Marvin,' arrdtes par le,s
iuiliitants du village do (ilinl<a, fuient conduits pur eu.x dans ce viliajfc, 8itu6 sur la cote
()|i|)(;si'i' de I'ile, De lit, la vapenr " Kotilc " Ics traniiporta a Pclropivlovsk.

Va\ outre, les habitants du village «le Preohrajensko^, situd egalcinent dans I'lIc de
C'uivie, livr^r(;nt an croiseur " Zabiaka " six matelots (|u'il8 avaient arrdtds au gltc dcs
otaries. Ces honinics declar^rent qu'ils dtaienl venus cbasser a bord ile deux ehaloupes
niipartcnant au schooner Anglais " Annie Moore." Le schooner lui-'iidme ne fut j)as
ai)or(;u.

Ces cas inHrmcnt la supposition eniise dans lii note de I'Ambassadeur liritanniquc
(|iif " Ics ehaloupes ne se trouvaient probableuicnt pas a une grande distance du schooner
'Seyward.'" Kn realite, il dtait impossible, de I'cndroit ou les ehaloupes ont ete arretdes,
d'apirccvoir le schooner, niCnie u I'aide d'une lunette. Le fait est que, d'apres les
(iqiositions dcs capitaincs du " .Marvin" et du "Seyward," ees schooners se trouvaient tt
2(1 milles de I'lle de Cuivrc au moment oil leurs ehaloupes pillaicnt Jes gltes des otaries
sur la c6te Kusse.

C). Le schooner Anglais "Tur)per" a cl6 arrfite le 29 Juillet (10 Ao(it) par le
cioiseur " Zabiaka," ii 17 niiilcs dc I'lle de Behring, .sous la prevention d'etre un de ceux
(iont les ehaloupes avuient cie ariutees dans Ics eaux tcrritorialcs llusses. 'loutefois, a
(Icfaut de preuvcs fornielles a I'appui de ccttc prevention et bien (ju'on eilt trouv^
274 peaux d'otaries a bord du schooner, le croiseur " Zabiaka" se borna ik avertir cclui-ci
({'avoir A s'nbstcnir de chasser I'otaric dans les eaux llusses baignant les lies Komnian-
dorsky. Cct avertissemcnt fut portt; dans le journal du "Tujjper," ainsi qu'il appert dc
la (iL'position du capitaine de co schooner annexc^e a la note de I'Ambassadeur Britnnni(pic
(lu !) Deccnibre, 1892. Quant aux menaces qui d'ujires le capitaine du " Tupper " lui
aiiiaient (He adrcssces par le Commandant du "Zabiaka," cl ii la d(H'ensc que „elui-ci lui
aurait faitc ile chasser I'otaric dans la tjier ouvertc, c'est la une assertion (l(!nu(5e de
preuvcs. 'J'out au contrairc, les peaux d'otaries trouvees a bord du schooner ne furent pas
daisies et c'est sans fondement que le ca|iitaine snutient avoir support(i des pertcs i la suite
(le cette arrestation.

7. Le schooner " Hall " a etc reiicontrii le 5 Aortt, 18l)2, sous le .54' 33' de latitude
scptentrionale et sous le luO lU' de longitude orientale, chassant I'otaric en mer, ii
17 niiilcs de I'lle de Ikbring. Bien qu'on eAt trouv(j u bord 325 peuux, il n'y avait pas
(le |)reuves directes que le sciiooncr eut fait la cliasse uux otaries dans les eaux territoriales
Russes. Le Commandant du " Zabiaka," se borna done A un avertissemcnt poitant que Ic
l)atinicnt devail conlinuer a s'abstcnir de chasser I'otarie sur la c6t(' Russe.

8. Le schooner "Willie MacGowan " a (jtd aper9u par le croiseur "Zabiaka"
le () Juin, 1892, ii 1 .'} milies de I'lle de Cuivre. II marchait ii petites voiles, inais les d(5ploya
toutcs apros avoir aper(,'u le croiseur et se mit ii pagner le large. II fut ntteint sous le
,')4 21' de latitude septeutrionale ct sous Ic Ki?" 43' de longitude orientale, ii 21 milles de
la c(')te. Le croiseur dut tirer deux fois pour le forcer il mettre en panne. Une perquisi-
tion r(iv6la la presence ii bord des engins servant ii la cliassc aux otaries sur la c6tc ainsi
que soixante-seize ,;eaux, dont soixante-neuf 6ti';es d'animaux fcmclles. Le " log-book "
n'(jtuit pas tenu dopuis vingt-(piatre hcures. En 'icndral, il ne conlicnt que de tr^s rares
indications sur la marclie du biitimcnt. On n'y rencontre (jue dcs expressions vagues :
"jogging around sealing grounds," ou simplemcnt "jogging." D'apres une indication, le
sciiooncr s'citait trouv(i le 1 (13) Juillet en vue de I'lle de Cuivre, i)ar un temps brumeux.
l.e 3(15) il avait aper9u le " Zabiaka." Le temps 6Uiit egalemcnt brumeux, et il regnait
un leger brouillard. Ce jour li\, le croiseur '■ Zabiaka," cointre il appert de son journiil,
8c trouvait tout pri^s de la c6tc, au gite meme des otaries. Des traces de pointillement et
de calculs faits au crayon sur la caitc et iinparlaitement eUaciJs indiquent que le schooner
rclevait sa position il la boussole, ii une lieurc et demie de distance du gite des otaries.

On est fonde il concluie de toules ces donniics que les otaries trouvdes ii bord
du schooner avaient (it(5 tuecd dans les eaux territoriales llusses.

Neanmoins, la Commission n'a pu reconnaitre I'arrcstation du schooner " Willie
MtCowan " c.ouime entiercineiit leguli^ie.

9. Le schooner " Aiiel "u iHd arretc par le croi>eur " Zabiaka," le 16 Juillet, h 3 heures
et demie du matin, sous le 54' 31' de latitude septeutrionale et le 1 07 40' de longitude
'jrientale. Au moment de sun arrestatioii il s'eloi'.;iuiit (\ petites voiles de la cote et

[512] ' C 2

so tiouvait a "21 inilles du I'lle dc Cuivre On decouvrit ^ son bord les engins servant a
cliasser I'otarie sur la cote, aiusi que 139 i)eaiix, dont les 90 pour cent avaient etd otees de
t'einelles-iiitire.'*. Ije " loji-liook " n'et-.iit pas tenu dupuis deax jours. A la ineiie date le
livre contient (Lnix annotations dirteientes. La premiere portc que lu schooner s'etait
Irouve en vue de I'lle di- Ciiivre ; eda indi(|ue. et::nt doniie le hrouillard qui regnait re
jour lii, <|ue le Imtiineut ii.iviguait alors dans nos eaux territorialos. Les traces de
puintillenient et de calculs faitsnu eravon sur la carte et imparl'iitenient effaces temoijfneiit
que le releveinent a la boussolc de la position du hatiinent avait ete opere tout i)rcs de la
c6te.

Sans contester la gravite de cos indices, etablissant (|ue le schoo)ier "Ariel" avait
navigue d ms les eaux territoriales Russes, la niajorite de la Commission ne considera pas
son arrestation comnie fundee en droit, faute d'une condition essentielle et gendrulement
admise : le.s chaloiipcs de " I'Ariel " n'avdent pas ot(5 aper<;ues ehassant I'otarie dans nos
eaux.

(Translation.)

THI'I examination into the circumstances which liad attended the arrest and capture in
Behrins; Sea of Canadian schooners and sealing-boats by Russian cruizers, was intrusted to
a Special Coininission appointed by Imperial Decree.

To this Commission the following documents were communicated, which served as a
basis for elucidating the question at issue : —

Log books, notes and maps found in the captured vessels ;

Protocols of seizure ;

Report on the course of the cruizer "Zal)iaka," together with the Report drawn up by
the Officer Commanding the Pacific Scpiadron ;

Affidavits communicated by the Britisii Government containing the depositions of the
captains and crews of the captured vessels.

At tlie same time the (^ommi>sion summoned Captain de Livron, late officer in
command of the "Zabiaka,"and the "Conscillerde Coll6:^e" Cirebnitsky, District Governor
of the Commander Islands, i.i order to hear Iheir verbil depositions.

The examination establishes with the greatest certainty the following facts : —

1. The schooner "Marie" was ca])tured on the 9th (21st) August, 1892, hy
\L Grebnitsky, District Governor of the Commander Islands, being on board the steamer
" Kotik." The capture was made in latitude 54° 36' north, and longitude 168" 24' cast,
at a distance of 7 miles from Co|)per island. Two boats belonging to this vessel had been
sighted and captured \\ miles from the shori'. Seventeen seals were found on board, of
which ten had not yet, been skinned Without waiting to pursue the other boats, which
WL-re hunting at a somewhat greater distance, iVL Grebnitsky seized the schooner himself
and brought her to anchor before sunset off the village of Glinka. Next morning search
was made both on the schooner and in the boats which had rejoined her during the nigiit,
and 022 ical-skins were found, of which ^iSb were those of females, and consequently had
been taken close to the shore. An examination of the log-book of the " Marie " proved
that this bonk hiid not been posted for four days, and did not contain the necessary infor-
mation as to the course taken and the stoppages made by the schooner.

The degrees of longitude and latitude tvere only marked in the almanacks, and even
that with gicat carelessness. The place of destination of the sciiooner was designated hy
the vague expression " sealing grounds." The skins, taken from |)regnant females bear
witness to the fact that the seals !iad been killed close to the sliore. In fact, during
the period of suckling, in July and August, the females cannot go to any distance from
the shore. This inference was confirmed by the presence on board llie schooner of
clubs which aie used exclusively in the pursuit of seals on tiie coast. In his written
protest, the captain of the " Marie " declares that his vessel was seized at a distance of
9,^ miles from shore. But the ciu-onometcr found on hoard the steamer was in such had
order that its indications were found to occasion an error of 1.5 miles. According to tiie
captain's own admission, 199 of the seals taken had been captured in the neighbourhood of
Copper Uland, and oidy 148 in that of Vanecjiiver. lie does not deny that the three buiils
of the "Marie "were seized within our tcrriiorial waters. But at the same time he.
expresses the opinion thai M. Grclinifsliv should have contincd liis action to seizing them,
and that he ought not in addition to have sii/.ed, as he did, other boats belonging to the
schooner "Annie Moore," the latter not having been taken. The s:hooner "Annie Moore,"
whose boats were taken, did, in fact, succeed in evading pursuit. But that only shows that
the schooners send their boats to a distance to pursue the seals in the rookeries while thi'v
remain themselves outside territorial waters. It was only thus that ihe "Annie Moore"
was able to escape seizure whilst her boms were captured on the const by the inhabitants

of tlic country. The captain of the " Marie" admitted tliat the protocol of seizure was
correctly drawn up, though he refused to sign it. The Commission, guided hy the facts
set forth iibove, concluded that the seizure of the schooner " Marie" had been carried out
in a perfectly regular manner. It is undeniable that, juridically, the boats constitute u
depeiuleiicy of the schooner. Tlic'r seizure, thciefori', in territorial waters legalizet tliat
of the vessel of which they form part. If it were otherwise, the schooner could pursue seals
on tlie const with impunity by sending her boats there, and thus infringe the inviolability
of territorial waters, though herself remaining outside their limits.

•2. The schooner " Rosie Olsen " was also seized by M. Grebnitsky, District Governor
of the Commander Islands. The seizure, carried out bv the "Kotik," took place on the
mil (26th) July, 181)2, in latitude .55° 23' north, and longitude 185° 27' east. The
schooner had been sighted in territorial waters, but having seen the steamer, she had
suceeeded in gaining the high sea, after having given her boats the signal to rejoin her.
Nevertheless the " Kotik," and a boat which she sent out, succeeded in seizing four
scaliiig-boats in territorial waters. One of these was seized 1 mile from the coast of Aria
Island. Three boats out of seven were able to get back to the schooner. After having
seized the four boats, M. Grebnitsky proceeded to capture the schooner, and drew up a
protocol. The captain of the " Rosie Olsen," who was in a state ot great excitement,
refused to sign this document, and on arriving at Fetropavlovsk, protested against the
seizure of his schooner on the high sea. On board tiie schooner and the boats were found
37'J seal skins, of which 96 per cent, had been tiiken from females ; 377 of these skins
were on board the schooner. The other two were seized in the boats. The crew was
cuniposed of six Europeans and fourteen Indians. It appeiu's from the log that the
schooner had been sealing for thirteen days in the neighbourhood of Copper Island by
means of her boats, which she sent into territorial waters. On the 12th (24th) July,
101 seals had been killed. The log had not been posted for several days ; the chronometer
was completely out of order. According to the statement of the captain of the " Rosie
Olsen," the schooner was seized 38 miles from shore. To convince oneself of the
incorrcetness of his deposition, one need only observe on the Map that the point of inter-
section of the longitude and latitude indicated hy the captain is not 38 but o4 miles from
the nearest point of *'.ie coast. It may be concluded from this, that these statements were
unfounded and made at random after the event.

After examining all the circumstances which accompanied the seizure of the " Rosie
Olsen" the Commission concluded that tiiis .seizure was regular. The boats of these
schooners were in fact surprised in the act of sealing in territorial waters.

The schooner in question is not at present at Petropavlovsk but in Canada. She
was employed to re|)atriate the crews of the captured schooners. She was given a new
name, that of " Prize," and is conmianded by one of the repatriated captains, ■>amed Kopp.
Captain de Livron deposed that Mr. Kopp had informed bin: in a private letter of the
arrival of the " Prize '' at her destination ; the letter added that the sailors threnlened to
sue Mr. Kopp for payment of their wages during the passage. Captain Kopp having
performed the duty with which he was charged by the Russian authorities of repatriating
the crews in question, the Commission considers it just to hand over to him the property
of the schooner " Prize," on condition that he deduct from her value, which may be
esliniuted at 600 dollars, a sufficient sum to satisfy the above-mentioned claims in so far
as they may be found valid.

3. The schooner "Carmolite" was captured on the 17th (29th) August, 1892, by the
cruizer " Vitiaz," commanded by Captain Zarine, and flying the flag ol the Officer Com-
manding the Pacific Squadron. It appears from the documents examined by the Commis-
sicn that this schooner was sighted by the cruizer on the other side of the isthmus, which
is at the southern point of Copper Island. 'I'he " Carmolite " was then about .'J miles
frcin a seal rookery. She sighted the cruizer, and taking advantage of the fact that the
latter, in order to reach her, was obliged to pass round a long reef situated at the soutii-
piistern extremity of the island, she set sail and gained the open sea. But after an hour
iiml a-lii.lf the cruizer came up wiln her at a distance of 8 miles from shore, in latitude
M 2',)' north, and longitude I ()8^ 2' east, 'i'he ship's papers showed that the schooner had
been since the 29th July in the waters of the Commander Islands. The captain declared
that the 608 seals, the skins of which were (bund on board his vessel, had been taken near
lieliriiig and ('opper Islands. This is in contradiction to his declarations annexed to the
British Ambassador's note of the 9th (:21st) December, 181*2, according to which the
cu|)ture of the seals had only takeki place at a distance of 60 miles from the islands. The
declaration of the captain of the " Carmolite " as to the distance from shore where the
seizure took place, which is given as 25 miles, as well as his statement thii.. he had not
tiitcred Russian territorial waters, are alike refuted by precise information. In order to

show tlieir inaccuracy, it is sufficient to make a calculation based upon the cruizer's rale
of R|)cc(l iiiul on tlie extent of horizon visible at the moment when the schooner wai
sighted for tlie first time by (he " Vitiaz." The " Carmolite's " log-book had not been
posted for two days. Two protocols of seizure were drown up, one in Russian, the otiier
in English. In conse(|uence of this evidence tlie Commission recognized that the seizure
of the '• C'armolite " was altogether in conformity with the principles of international
law.

4. The schooner "Vancouver Belle" was captured by the cruizer " Zabiaka" on the
31st July, 1892, in M" IT north latitude and 168" 12' east" longitude, 17 miles from Copper
Island. The Commander of the " Zabiaka " having been informed by coastguardsmen that
this schooner was sealing on the coast, proceeded towards her. On the way, however, he
found three boats belonging to the schooner " Sayward," sealing less than 3 miles from
the coast. It took about two hours to seize and take in tow these boats, and the
" Vancouver Belle " took advantage of this delay to make for the open sea. When this
schooner was seized it was found that no entries had been made in her log-book during
the preceding twenty-four hours, but the entries found showed that she bad on two
occasions been engaged in sealing close to the shore in the straits between the islands,
The necessary equipment for sealing on the coast was found on board the vessel. Of the
694 skins seized, 88 per cent, were those of (euiales with younir. It appeared from
Captain Kopp's own statements (affidavits, p. 14) that it was 2 o'clock when he caught
sight of the cruizer. As it was 4 o'clock when the " Zabiaka " came up svith thy schooner,
the latter could not have proceeded further than 14 miles seawards. In view of all that
has been stated above it was decided that the seizure of the "Vancouver Belle" was
perfectly regular.

[). The boat belonging to tlii' schooner "Marvin," and the three boats belonging to
the - liooner " Sayward," mentioned in the British Ambassador's note of the 4th
December, 1892, which inclosed the written protests of the masters of those vessels,
were seized unc'er the following circumstances. The first-mentioned boat was seized by
the inhabitants of Copper I. land at the rookery itself, as the crew were beginning to
slaughter the seals. The three others were seized by the cruizer " Zabiaka." The
inhabitants of the island had informed the cruizer that several foreign boats had landed at
the rookery, and, after killing a certain number of seals, had put to sea again. The
cruizer proceeded in the direction indicated, and, on the 21st July, at a point 9 miles from
the south-eastern extremity of Copper Island, came upon three boats which took to flight
with all sail set and rowing as fast as they could. Finding that their efforts "• "<3 useless,
the crew stopped rowing and began to throw overboard the seals they had 'billed. But
before they were able to complete this operation, the cruizer seized the three boats, on
board of which eight seals were found. The fact that the animals' heads were battered in
showed that they had been killed with clubs in the rookery, and not shot at sea. The
crew of the boats belonging to the schooner " Sayward " were taken to Petropavlovsk on
board the " Zabiaka," and the men belonging to the whale-boat sent from the " Marvin,"
who bud been seized by the people of the village of Glinka, were taken by them to the
village, which is situated on the opposite shore of the island. They were takp'> 'hence to
Petropavlovsk by the steamer " Kotik."

Further, the; inhabitants of the village of Pr^obrajenskoe, which is also on Copper
Island, handed over to the cruizer "Zabiaka" six sailors whom they had seized at the
rookery. These men stated that they had come to bun*: in two boats belonging to the
English schooner " Annie Moore." The schooner herscK was not seen.

These facts show that theic is no fuundation for the hypothesis, contained in the
British Ambassador's note, that "presumably the distance which divided the 'Sayward'
from her boats was not great." As a matter of fact it was impossible to see the schooner
from the spot where the boats were seized, even with a glass. The fact is that, according
to the depositions of the masters of the " Marvin " and " Sayward," those schooners were
20 miles from Copper Island at the time when their boats were ])lundering the rookeries
on the Russian shore.

0. The English schooner "Tuppcr"was seized by the cruizer "Zabiaka" on the
29th July (10th August), 47 miles from Behring island, on suspicion of being one of the
vessels the boats of which bad been seized in Russian territorial waters. As, however,
the suspicion was not confirmed by positive proofs, although 274 seal-skins were found on
board the schooner, the ciuizcr "Zabiaka' eonlincd herself to warning the vessel not to
engage in scaling in the Russian wattrs round the Ccnmiandcr Islands. This warning
was entered in the log-book of the "Tupper," as appears from the deposition of lie
master of that schooner inclosed in the Hiitish Ambassador's note of the 9th Decninber,
1892. As for the assertion of the master of the "Tupper" tiiat the Cotnmander of the

"Znhiaka " made use of threats towards him, and forhade him to hunt seals in the open
spa, it is not supported by proofs. On the contrary, the seal-skins found on board the
schooner were not seized, and the master's statement that the seizure resulted in loss to
him is without foundation.

7. The sehooner "Hall" was found on the 5tli August, 1892, in 54" 33' north
i;ititii(lc, and 166° 10' east longitude, engaged in sealing at sea, 17 miles from Behriiig
Island. Although 325 skins were found on board, there was no direct proof that the
fdiooncr had been sealing in Russian territorial waters. The C'ommanc'er of tho
"Zaiiiaka" therefore confined himself to -varning the ship to continue i.^ abstain troin
scaling on the Russian shore.

8. The schooner " Willie McGowan " was sighted by the cruizer " Zabiaka" on the
fitli .hinc, 1892, 15 miles from Copper Island. The schooner was under easy sail, but as
soon as she caught sight of the cruizer, she made for the o|)cn sea under full canvas.
The cruizer came up with her in 54° 21' north latitude and 167° 43' east longitude,
21 miles from the coast. It was only after the cruizer had fired two shots that the
schooner was brought to. A search brought to light equipment for sealing on the coast,
and seventy-six skins, of which sixty-nine were those of females. No entries had been
made in the log-book for twenty-four hours. On the whole, the log-book contains very
meagre data in regard to the vessel's course. All the entries are vague, e.g., " Jogging
around sealing-grounds," or simply " .Jogging." According to one entry the schooner was
in fight of Copper Island on the 1st (13th) July, and the weather was hazy. On the
.■iid(l,')tli) she sighted the " Zabiaka." The weather was again hazy, and there was a slight
log. On that day the cruizer " Zabiaka " was close tj the shore, just ofl' the rookery, as
appears from her log-book. Traces of dots and calculations made in pencil on the chart
and |iartly rubbed out show that the schooner took her bearings by the compass when she
was one and a-lialf hours' distance from the rookery.

One is justified in concluding from all these data that the seals found on board the
schooner had been killed in Russian territorial waters.

Nevertheless, the Commission did not feel justified in declaring that the seizure of the
schooner " Willie McGowan " was altogether regular.

9. The schooner "Ariel" was seized by the cruizer " Zabiaka" on the IGth July, at
.SSOa.m., in 54° 31' north latitude and 167° 40' east longitude. At the time of the
seizure she was making away from the coast under easy sail, and was 21 miles from
Copper Island. On board of her were found equipment lor sealing on the coast and 139
skins, 90 per cent, of which were those of suckling females. No entries had been made in
the log-book for two days. The book contains two different entries on the same date.
The first states that the schooner was in sight of Copper Island ; this implies, in view of
the log which prevailed on that day, that the vessel was then in our territorial waters.
The traces of dots and of calculations made in pencil on the chart and half rubbed out show
that the bearings of the ship were taken by the compass when she was (|uite close to the
shore.

Without denying the importance of these indications, which show that the schooner
" .\ricl " had been in Russian territorial waters, the majority of the Commission do not
consider that her seizure can be justified from a legal point of view on account of the
absence of a condition which is essential and generally admitted, that is to say, the
''Ariel's " boats had not been seen sealing in our waters.

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