GREAT BRITAIN, 1892. A CONVENTION FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF THE DISPUTED RIGHT OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROTECT THE SEALS IN BEHRING SEA. Concluded at Washington, February 29, 1892. "The United States of America and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being desirous to provide for an amicable settlement of the questions which have arisen between their respective governments concerning the jurisdictional rights of the United States in the waters of Behring's Sea, and concerning also the preservation of the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said Sea, and the rights of the citizens and subjects of either country as regards the taking of fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said waters, have resolved to submit to arbitration the questions involved." ARTICLE I. (Reference to Arbitration-appointment of arbitrators.)"The questions which have arisen between the Government of the United States and the Government of Her Britannic Majesty concerning the jurisdictional rights of the United States in the waters of Behring's Sea, and concerning also the preservation of the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said Sea, and the rights of the citizens and subjects of either country as regards the taking of fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the said waters, shall be submitted to a tribunal of Arbitration, to be composed of seven Arbitrators, who shall be appointed in the following manner, that is to say: Two shall be named by the President of the United States; two shall be named by Her Britannic Majesty; His Excellency the President of the French Republic shall be jointly requested by the High Contracting Parties to name one; His Majesty the King of Italy shall be so requested to name one; and His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway shall be so requested to name one. The seven arbitrators to be so named shall be jurists of distinguished reputation in their respective countries." ARTICLE II. (Place of meeting-Agents.)-"The arbitrators shall meet at Paris within twenty days after the delivery of the counter-case mentioned in Article IV. and shall proceed impartially and carefully to examine and decide the questions that have been or shall be laid before them as herein provided on the part of the Governments of the United States and Her Britannic Majesty respectively. All questions considered by the tribunal including the final decision, shall be determined by a majority of all the Arbitrators. "Each of the High Contracting Parties shall also name one person to attend the tribunal as its Agent to represent it generally in all matters connected with the arbitration." ARTICLES III. to V. provide for the presentation of cases, counter-cases, and arguments. ARTICLE VI. (Points submitted for arbitration.)" In deciding the matters submitted to the Arbitrators, it is agreed that the following five points shall be submitted to them, in order that their award shall embrace a distinct decision upon each of said five points, to wit: "1. What exclusive jurisdiction in the sea now known as the Behring's Sea, and what exclusive rights in the seal fisheries therein, did Russia assert and exercise prior and up to the time of the cession of Alaska to the United States? "2. How far were these claims of jurisdiction as to the seal fisheries recognized and conceded by Great Britain? "3. Was the body of water now known as the Behring's Sea included in the phrase 'Pacific Ocean,' as used in the Treaty of 1825 between Great Britain and Russia; and what rights, if any, in the Behring's Sea were held and exclusively exercised by Russia after said Treaty? "4. Did not all the rights of Russia as to jurisdiction, and as to the seal fisheries in Behring's Sea east of the water boundary, in the Treaty between the United States and Russia of the 30th March, 1867, pass unimpaired to the United States under that treaty ? "5. Has the United States any right, and if so, what right of protection or property in the fur-seals frequenting the islands of the United States in Behring Sea when such seals are found outside the ordinary three-mile limit?" ARTICLE VII.-(Question of Regulations.)-"If the deter mination of the foregoing questions as to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States shall leave the subject in such position that the concurrence of Great Britain is necessary to the establishment of Regulations for the proper protection and preservation of the fur-seal in, or habitually resorting to, the Behring Sea, the Arbitrators shall then determine what concurrent Regulations outside the jurisdictional limits of the respective Governments are necessary, and over what waters such Regulations should extend, and to aid them in that determination the report of a Joint Commission to be appointed by the respective Governments shall be laid before them, with such other evidence as either Government may submit. "The High Contracting Parties furthermore agree to cooperate in securing the adhesion of other Powers to such Regulations." ARTICLE VIII.-(Question of liability for injuries.)-"The High Contracting Parties having found themselves unable to agree upon a reference which shall include the question of the liability of each for the injuries alleged to have been sustained by the other, or by its citizens, in connection with the claims presented and urged by it; and, being solicitous that this subordinate question should not interrupt or longer delay the submission and determination of the main questions, do agree that either may submit to the Arbitrators any question of fact involved in said claims and ask for a finding thereon, the question of the liability of either Government upon the facts found to be the subject of further negotiation." ARTICLE IX.-Two commissioners are to be appointed by each government to investigate the facts having relation to seallife, and to report to the arbitrators. ARTICLES X. to XIV.-Minor details of the arbitration. JAMES G. BLAINE. JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. SPAIN, 1795. TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP, LIMITS, AND NAVIGATION. Concluded October 27, 1795. Ratifictaions exchanged at Aranjuez, April 25, 1796. Proclaimed August 2, 1796. ARTICLE I.-(Declaration of amity.)-"There shall be a firm and inviolable peace and sincere friendship between His Catholic Majesty, his successors and subjects, and the United States and their citizens, without exception of persons or places. ARTICLE II. (Florida boundary.)" To prevent all disputes on the subject of the boundaries which separate the territories of the two high contracting parties, it is hereby declared and agreed as follows, to wit: The southern boundary of the United States, which divides their territory from the Spanish colonies of East and West Florida, shall be designated by a line beginning on the River Mississippi, at the northernmost part of the thirty-first degree of latitude north of the equator, which from thence shall be drawn due east to the middle of the River Appalachicola, or Catahouche, thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's River, and thence down the middle thereof to the Atlantic Ocean. And it is agreed that if there should be any troops, garrisons, or settlements of either party in the territory of the other, according to the above mentioned boundaries, they shall be withdrawn from the said territory within the term of six months after the ratification of this treaty, or sooner if it be possible; and that they shall be permitted to take with them all the goods and effects which they possess." ARTICLE III.-Commissioners to be appointed to survey the line designated in the preceding article. ARTICLE IV.-(Western boundary of the United States.)— "It is likewise agreed that the western boundary of the United States which separates them from the Spanish colony of Louisiana, is in the middle of the channel or bed of the River Mississippi, from the northern boundary of the said States to the completion of the thirty-first degree of latitude north of the equator. And His Catholic Majesty has likewise agreed that the navigation of the said river, in its whole breadth from its source to the ocean, shall be free only to his subjects and the citizens of the United States, unless he should extend this privilege to the subjects of other Powers by special convention." ARTICLE V.-Both States shall endeavor to restrain the Indians, etc. ARTICLES VI. to X. deal with questions of protection of vessels; embargo and seizure of persons for debts or crimes; vessels forced into port by stress of weather; property taken from pirates to be restored; and vessels wrecked or foundered. ARTICLE XI.-Personal estates of the one party within the jurisdiction of the other may be disposed of by will or otherwise. And where a citizen of one nation inheriting real estate within the jurisdiction of the other, would not by law be allowed to hold it by reason of being an alien, he shall be allowed a reasonable time to sell the same and to withdraw the proceeds, exempt from all rights of detraction. ARTICLE XII.-Vessels suspected shall exhibit passports and certificates. ARTICLE XIII.-In the event of war between the two nations, merchants of the one residing in the territory of the other shall have one year for collecting and transporting their goods and merchandise. ARTICLE XIV.-No citizen of either nation shall take a commission or letters of marque from the enemy of the other. ARTICLE XV.-(Liberty of trade-free ships, free goods.) "It shall be lawful for all and singular the subjects of His Catholic Majesty, and the citizens, people, and inhabitants of the said United States, to sail with their ships with all manner of liberty and security, no distinction being made who are the proprietors of the merchandises laden thereon, from any port to the places of those who now are, or hereafter shall be, at enmity with His Catholic Majesty or the United States. It shall be likewise lawful for the subjects and inhabitants aforesaid, to sail with the ships and merchandises aforementioned, and to trade with the same liberty and security from the places, ports, and havens of those who are enemies of both or either party, without any opposition or disturbance whatsoever, not only directly |