decree of this honourable court, as forfeited to the use of the said United States, according to the form of the statute of the said United States in such cases made and provided.

"Signed: M. D. Ball,

• United States District Attorney for the District of Alaska.

ANNEX C.

The following table shows the names of the British sealing vessels seized or warned by United States revenue cruizers 1886-1890, and the approximate distance from land when seized. The distances assigned in the cases of the Carolena, Thornton, and Onward are on the authority of U. S. Naval Commander Abbey (see Fiftieth Congress, second session, Senate Executive Document No. 106, pp. 20, 30, 40). The distances assigned in the cases of the Anna Beck, W. P. Sayward, Dolphin, and Grace are on the authority of Captain Shepard, U. S. R. M. (Blue Book, United States, No. 2, 1890, pp. 80-82; see Appendix, Vol. III)."

a Neah Bay is in the State of Washington, and the Pathfinder was seized there on charges made against her in the Bering Sea in the previous year. She was released two days later.

And whereas the Government of Her Britannic Majesty did ask the said arbitrators to find the said facts as set forth in the said statement, and whereas the agent and counsel for the United States Government thereupon in our presence informed us that the said statement of facts was sustained by the evidence, and that they had agreed with the agent and counsel for Her Britannic Majesty that we, the arbitrators, if we should think fit so to do, might find the said statement of facts to be true.

Now, we, the said arbitrators, do unanimously find the facts as set forth in the said statement to be true.

And whereas each and every question which has been considered by the tribunal has been determined by a majority of all the arbitrators;

Now, we, Baron de Courcel, Lord Hannen, Mr. Justice Harlan, Sir John Thompson, Senator Morgan, the Marquis Visconti Venosta, and Mr. Gregers Gram, the respective minorities not withdrawing their votes, do declare this to be the final decision and award in writing of this tribunal in accordance with the treaty.

the

Made in duplicate at Paris and signed by us the fifteenth day of August, in year 1893.

And we do certify this English version thereof to be true and accurate.

ALPH. DE COURCEL.

JOHN M. HARlan.

JOHN T. MORGan.

HANNEN.

JNO. S. D. THOMPSON.
VISCONTI Venosta.
G. GRAM.

Since 1893, efforts have been made by the United States for the further prevention of pelagic sealing and the protection of the fur-seal fisheries. With this end in view, Hon. John W. Foster was sent as agent to England to secure the adoption of a modus vivendi prohibiting all sealing until a final disposition of the question can be had and a treaty can be entered into establishing further regulations for the government of the fisheries. At this writing, no official data of the results of this mission can be had, the agent not having as yet submitted his report.

As a further result of the arbitration of 1893, a convention was concluded between the United States and Great Britain February

8, 1896, for the settlement of the claims of British subjects, growing out of the seizures of British vessels in Bering Sea from 1886 to 1892, which provided for the appointment of two commissioners, and if necessary, an umpire. This commission was to sit at Victoria, British Columbia, and San Francisco, Cal. Sessions have been held in both places, but as yet, the results of their labors have not been made public.

SALMON, COD, HERRING, ETC.

In his report for the fiscal year 1891, Governor Knapp, of Alaska, says:

Among the resources of Alaska are the products of the sea. The native population have always obtained much of their food supply from the waters, and in a less degree their clothing and many of the conveniences of life. Their winter supply of food is still largely made up of dried fish, seaweed, and fish eggs, while fresh fish are eaten at all seasons of the year, not only by the natives, but by all classes of people, and the abundance of this product insures the most thriftless with a ready means of subsistence.

Salmon fishing is by far the largest and most important industry. Thirtyseven canneries and seven or more salting establishments are reported as in operation in 1890. The aggregate pack of the canneries was 688,332 cases of 4 dozen 1-pound cans, falling a little short of the pack of 1889. The amount of salted salmon was about 7,300 barrels, a little more than the year previous. These salmon fisheries represent a capital of about $4,250,000, and they give employment to about 2,000 white laborers, 2,500 Chinamen, and 1,000 natives, and require in their business, for transportation and their work, about 100 steam vessels and 500 fishing boats. The white and Chinese laborers do not usually remain in the Territory after the season is over. Below is given a comparative statement of the canned product since 1883, viz:

Allowing the average value of salmon during these years to have been $4.50 per case, we have a total valuation of $10,337,031 for this one export since the industry took this form in Alaska. Add to this sum the value of the salted salmon exported, and the amount used in the Territory, if that were possible, and the grand total would surprise those who have not given the subject a study.

The report for 1895 of Mr. Joseph Murray, special agent to inspect the fisheries in Alaska, says that during the year, nearly 7,000,000 cases, of 48 pounds to the case, were packed, and the total value of the salmon canned was over $2,000,000.

The species of salmon found in Alaska in quantities sufficient to constitute an economic resource are the red, the king, the silver, the humpback, the dog, the steelhead, and the Dolly Varden varieties. By an act of Congress, approved March 2, 1889, the erection of dams, barricades, or other obstructions in Alaska streams to prevent the ascent of salmon was prohibited, under penalty of not less than $250 per day. A letter from Secretary Carlisle, dated February 19, 1896, called the attention of Congress to the fact that the law failed to meet the exigencies of the situation. On June 9, 1896, the following act was approved:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act approved March second, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, and entitled "An Act to provide for the protection of the salmon fisheries of Alaska," is hereby amended and reenacted as follows:

"That the erection of dams, barricades, fish wheels, fences, or any such fixed or stationary obstructions in any part of the rivers or streams of Alaska, or to fish for or catch salmon or salmon trout in any manner or by any means with the purpose or result of preventing or impeding the ascent of salmon to their spawning ground, is declared to be unlawful, and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to remove such obstructions and to establish and enforce such regulations and surveillance as may be necessary to insure that this prohibition and all other provisions of law relating to the salmon fisheries of Alaska are strictly complied with.

"SEC. 2. That it shall be unlawful to fish, catch, or kill any salmon of any variety, except with rod or spear, above the tide waters of any of the creeks or rivers of less than five hundred feet width in the Territory of Alaska, except only for purposes of propagation, or to lay or set any drift net, set net, trap,

pound net, or seine for any purpose across the tide waters of any river or stream for a distance of more than one-third of the width of such river, stream, or channel, or lay or set any seine or net within one hundred yards of any other net or seine which is being laid or set in said stream or channel, or to take, kili, or fish for salmon in any manner or by any means in any of the waters of the Territory of Alaska, either in the streams or tide waters, except Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound, Bering Sea, and the waters tributary thereto, from midnight on Friday of each week until six o'clock antemeridian of the Sunday following; or to fish for or catch or kill in any manner or by any appliances, except by rod or spear, any salmon in any stream of less than one hundred yards in width in the said Territory of Alaska between the hours of six o'clock in the evening and six o'clock in the morning of the following day of each and every day of the week.

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SEC. 3.. That the Secretary of the Treasury may, at his discretion, set aside any streams as spawning grounds, in which no fishing will be permitted; and when, in his judgment, the results of fishing operations on any stream indicate that the number of salmon taken is larger than the capacity of the stream to produce, he is authorized to establish weekly close seasons, to limit the duration of the fishing season, or to prohibit fishing entirely for one year or more, so as to permit salmon to increase: Provided, however, That such power shall be exercised only after all persons interested shall have been given a hearing, of which hearing due notice must be given by publication: And provided further, That it shall have been ascertained that the persons engaged in catching salmon do not maintain fish hatcheries of sufficient magnitude to keep such streams fully stocked.

“SEC. 4. That to enforce the provisions of law herein, and such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may establish in pursuance thereof, he is authorized and directed to appoint one inspector of fisheries, at a salary of one thousand eight hundred dollars per annum, and two assistant inspectors, at a salary of one thousand six hundred dollars each per annum, and he will annually submit to Congress estimates to cover the salaries and actual traveling expenses of the officers hereby authorized and for such other expenditures as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the law herein.

"SEC. 5. That any person violating the provisions of this Act or the regulations established in pursuance thereof shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or imprisonment at hard labor for a term of ninety days, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court; and, further, in case of the violation of any of the provisions of section one of this Act and conviction thereof a further fine of two hundred and fifty dollars per diem will be imposed for each day that the obstruction or obstructions therein are maintained."