153

A.—2.

Article o. The high contracting parties agree that they will each maintain a guard or patrol in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean and Behring Sea so far as may be necessary for the enforcement of the aforesaid prohibitions. Article G. The foregoing articles shall go into effect as soon as, but not before, an international agreement is concluded and ratified by the Governments of Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and Russia, by which each of those Powers shall undertake, by such stipulations as may be mutually acceptable, to prohibit for a period of not less than fifteen jears its own subjects or citizens, and all persons subject to its laws and treaties, from engaging in pelagic sealing in waters including the area defined in Article 1, and effectively to enforce such prohibition. The foregoing articles of this treaty shall continue in force during the period of fifteen years from the day on which they go into effect, and thereafter until terminated by twelve months' written notice given by either Great Britain or the United States to the other, which notice may be given at the expiration of fourteen years or at any time afterwards. Article 7. The high contracting parties engage to co-operate with each other in urging other Powers whose subjects or citizens may be concerned in the fur-seal fisheries to forego, in virtue of appropriate arrangements, the exercise of the right of pelagic sealing, and also to prohibit the use of their ports and flag in the furtherance of pelagic sealing within the areas covered by such arrangement. Article 8. This treaty shall be ratified by His Britannic Majesty and by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and ratifications shall be exchanged in Washington as soon as practicable. In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this treaty in duplicate, and have hereunto affixed their seals. Done at Washington, the 7th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1911. James Bryck Philander C. Knox.

Despatch from His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington containing the 'Text of the Treaty for the Preservation and Protection of the Fur Seals which frequent the Waters of the North Pacific Ocean. (Signed at Washington, 7th July, 1911.) Mr. Bryce to Sir Edward Grey. (Received 3rd August.) Sir, — Sealharbour, Maine, 24th July, 1911. I have the honour to transmit herewith the British copy of the treaty for the preservation and protection of the fur seals which frequent the waters of the North Pacific Ocean, which was signed by Mr. Pope, Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs of Canada, and myself as British delegates, and by the delegates of Russia, Japan, and the United States, and dated the 7th instant, at Washington. I have, &c, James Bryce. Enclosure. TREATY FOR THE PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION OF THE FUR SEALS WHICH FREQUENT THE WATERS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. The United States of America, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, being desirous of adopting effective means for the preservation and protection of the fur seals which frequent the waters of the North Pacific Ocean, have resolved to conclude a convention for the purpose, and to that end have named as their Plenipotentiaries :— The President of the United States of America; the Honourable Charles Nagel, Secretary of Commerce and Labour of the United States; and the Honourable Chandler P. Anderson, Counsellor of the Department of State of the United States : His Britannic Majesty, the Right Honourable James Bryce, of the Order of Merit, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Washington; and Joseph Pope, Esquire, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, Under-Secretary of State of Canada for External Affairs : His Majesty the Emperor of Japan; Baron Yasuya Uchida, Jusammi, Grand Cordon of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Washington; and the Honourable Hitoshi Dauke, Shoshii, Third Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun, Director of the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Commerce : His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias; the Honourable Pierre Botkine, Chamberlain of His Majesty's Court, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Morocco; and Baron Boris Nolde, of the Foreign Office :

Enclosure. TREATY FOB THE PKESERVATION AND PROTECTION OF THE FUK SEALS WHICH FREQUENT THE WATERS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. The United States of America, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, being desirous of adopting effective means for the preservation and protection of the fur seals which frequent the waters of the North Pacific Ocean, have resolved to conclude a convention for the purpose, and to that end have named as their Plenipotentiaries :- — The President of the United States of AmeTica; the Honourable Charles Nagel, Secretary of Commerce and Labour of the United States; and the Honourable Chandler P. Anderson, Counsellor of the Department of State of the United States : His Britannic Majesty, the Right Honourable James Bryce, of the Order of Merit, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Washington; and Joseph Pope, Esquire, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, Under-Secretary of State of Canada for External Affairs : His Majesty the Emperor of Japan; Baron Yasuya Uchida, Jusammi, Grand Cordon of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Washington; and the Honourable Hitoshi Dauke, Shoshii, Third Class of the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun, Director of the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Commerce : His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias; the Honourable Pierre Botkine, Chamberlain of His Majesty's Court, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Morocco; and Baron Boris Nolde, of the Foreign Office :

20—A. 2.