cally, the subjects of Russia shall not resort, without permission, to any establishment of the United States upon the northwest coast."

ARTICLE III.-(Establishments to be formed by citizens of the United States or Russia.)-"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 America, nor in any of the islands adjacent, to the north of fifty-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 Russia, south of the same parallel."

ARTICLE IV.-(Interior seas.)-"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 respectively, 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."

ARTICLE V. (Articles to be excepted from this commerce.)"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 engage, reciprocally, neither to sell, nor suffer them to be sold, to the natives by their respective citizens and subjects, nor by any person who may be under their authority. It is likewise stipulated that this restriction shall never afford a pretext, nor be advanced, in any case, to authorize either search or detention of the vessels, seizure of the merchandize, or, in fine, any measures of constraint whatever towards the merchants or the crews who may carry on this commerce; the high contracting 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."

ARTICLE VI.-(Ratifications.)-" When this convention shall have been duly ratified by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate, on the one part, and, on the other, by His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias.

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 thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.

"HENRY MIDDLETON.

"LE COMTE CHARLES DE NESSELRODE. "PIERRE DE POLETICA."1

RUSSIA, 1854.

CONVENTION Relative to the Rights of Neutrals at Sea.

Concluded July 22, 1854. Ratifications exchanged at Washington, October 31, 1854. Proclaimed November 1, 1854.

"The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, equally animated with a desire to maintain, and to preserve from all harm, the relations of good understanding which have at all times so happily subsisted between themselves, as also between the inhabitants of their respective States, have mutually agreed to perpetuate, by means of a formal convention, the principles of the right of neutrals at sea, which they recognize as indispensable conditions of all freedom of navigation and maritime trade."

ARTICLE I. (Free ships make free goods-Neutral property.) "The two high contracting parties recognize as permanent and immutable the following principles, to wit:

"1st. That free ships make free goods; that is to say, that the effects or goods belonging to subjects or citizens of a Power or State at war are free from capture and confiscation when found on board of neutral vessels, with the exception of articles contraband of war.

"2d. That the property of neutrals on board an enemy's vessel is not subject to confiscation, unless the same be contraband

1 The ten years mentioned in article IV., having expired, Russia refused to renew the stipulations therein contained.

of war. They engage to apply these principles to the commerce and navigation of all such Powers and States as shall consent to adopt them on their part as permanent and immutable."

66

ARTICLE II.—(Understanding as to application of these principles.) The two high contracting parties reserve themselves to come to an ulterior understanding as circumstances may require, with regard to the application and extension to be given, if there be any cause for it, to the principles laid down in the 1st article. But they declare from this time that they will take the stipulations contained in said article 1 as a rule, whenever it shall become a question to judge of the rights of neutrality."

ARTICLE III. (Other nations may accede to this treaty.)—"It is agreed by the high contracting parties that all nations which shall or may consent to accede to the rules of the first article of this convention, by a formal declaration stipulating to observe them, shall enjoy the rights resulting from such accession as they shall be enjoyed and observed by the two Powers signing this convention. They shall mutually communicate to each other the results of the steps which may be taken on the subject."

Signed by

W. L. MARCY.

EDOUARD STOECKL.

RUSSIA, 1867.

CONVENTION FOR THE CESSION OF THE RUSSIAN POSSESSIONS IN NORTH AMERICA TO THE UNITED STATES.

Concluded March 30, 1867. Ratifications exchanged at Washington, June 20, 1867. Proclaimed June 20, 1867.

"The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous of strengthening, if possible, the good understanding which exists between them, have, for that purpose, appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, the President of the United States, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the

Privy Counsellor Edouard de Stoeckl, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States;

"And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles:

ARTICLE I. (Cession of territory-Boundaries.)—" His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias agrees to cede to the United States, by this Convention, immediately upon the exchange of the ratifications thereof, all the territory and dominion now possessed by his said Majesty on the continent of America and in the adjacent islands, the same being contained within the geographical limits herein set forth, to wit: The eastern limit is the line of demarcation between the Russian and the British possessions in North America, as established by the convention between Russia and Great Britain, of February 28-16, 1825, and described in Articles III. and IV. of said convention, in the following terms:

"Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and between the 131st and 133d degree of west longitude, (meridian of Greenwich,) the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland Channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude; from this lastmentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude, (of the same meridian;) and finally, from the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen Ocean.

“IV. With reference to the line of demarcation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood

"1st. That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia,' (now, by this cession to the United States.)

"2d. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the

British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned, (that is say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention,) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom."

"The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed are contained passes through a point in Behring's Straits on the parallel of sixty-five degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern or Ignalook, and the island of Ratmanoff, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest, through Behring's Straits and Behring's Sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in the southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the island of Atton and the Copper Island of the Kormondorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longitude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian."

ARTICLE II. (Rights included in the cession of territory and dominion.)" In the cession of territory and dominion made by the preceding article are included the right of property in all public lots and squares, vacant lands, and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks, and other edifices which are not private individual property. It is, however, understood and agreed, that the churches which have been built in the ceded. territory by the Russian Government, shall remain the property of such members of the Greek Oriental Church resident in the territory as may choose to worship therein. Any Government, archives, papers, and documents relative to the territory and dominion aforesaid, which may now be existing there, will be left in the possession of the agent of the United States; but an authenticated copy of such of them as may be required will be, at all times, given by the United States to the Russian