west coast of America from Behring Straits to 51° north latitude, as well as in the Aleutian Islands, on the east coast of Siberia, and the Kurile Islands; that is to say, from Behring Straits to the South Cape, in the Island of Ooroop, viz., in 45° 51′ north latitude, or even to approach them within a less distance than 100 Italian miles." 36 This committee being aware of the delicacy of the subject, and that the attention of His Majesty's Government had been directed to it, have been unwilling to trouble you with any representations, but as there are now many ships fishing in those seas, and several others bound thither, and it appears that fears are generally entertained lest the seizure and confiscation of some of them should take place by the Russian authorities, upon the plea of their having been within the prohibited limits, the committee have felt it their duty, and have requested me thus most respectfully to express to you, sir, their hope that you may be enabled to communicate to them such information as will remove those apprehensions. I have, &c. GEORGE LYALL, Chairman of the Committee. 37 CONVENTION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA, SIGNED AT ST. PETERSBURGH, FEBRUARY 28/16, 1825. AU NOM DE LA TRÈS-SAINTE ET INDIVISIBLE TRINITÉ. Sa Majesté le Roi du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et de l'Irlande, et Sa Majesté l'Empereur de toutes les Russies, désirant resserrer les liens de bonne intelligence et d'amitié qui les unissent, au moyen d'un accord qui régleroit, d'après le principe des convenances réciproques, divers points relatifs au commerce, à la navigation, et aux pêcheries de leurs sujets sur l'Océan Pacifique, ainsi que les limites de leurs possessions respectives sur la côte nord-ouest de l'Amérique, ont nommé des Plénipotentiaires pour conclure une Convention à cet effet, savoir: Sa Majesté le Roi du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et de l'Irlande, le Très Honorable Stratford Canning, Conseiller de Sa dite Majesté en Son Conseil Privé, etc. Et Sa Majesté l'Empereur de toutes les Russies, le Sieur Charles Robert Comte de Nesselrode, Son Conseiller Privé Actuel, Membre du Conseil de l'Empire, Secrétaire d'Etat dirigeant le Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, etc.; et le Sieur Pierre de Poletica, Son Conseiller d'État Actuel, etc. Lesquels Plénipotentiaires, après [Translation.] IN THE NAME OF THE MOST HOLY AND UNDIVIDED TRINITY. His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous of drawing still closer the ties of good understanding and friendship which unite them, by means of an agreement which may settle, upon the basis of reciprocal convenience, different points connected with the commerce, navigation, and fisheries of their subjects on the Pacific Ocean as well as the limits of their respective possessions on the northwest coast of America, have named Plenipotentiaries to conclude a Convention for this purpose, that is to say: His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Stratford Canning, a member of His said Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, &c., and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Sieur Charles Robert Count de Nesselrode, His Imperial Majesty's Privy Councillor, a member of the Council of the Empire, Secretary of State for the Department of Foreign Affairs, &c., and the Sieur Pierre de Poletica, His Imperial Majesty's Coun s'être communiqué leurs pleinspouvoirs respectifs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, ont arrêté et signé les Articles suivans: Art. I. Il est convenu que, dans aucune partie du grand Océan, appelé communément Océan Pacifique, les sujets respectifs des Hautes Puissances Contractantes ne seront ni troublés, ni gênés, soit dans la navigation, soit dans l'exploitation de la pêche, soit dans la faculté d'aborder aux côtes, sur des points qui ne seroient pas déjà occupés, afin d'y faire le commerce avec les indigènes, sauf toutefois les restrictions et conditions déterminés par les Articles qui suivent. II. Dans la vue d'empêcher que les droits de navigation et de pêche exercés sur le grand océan par les sujets des Hautes Parties Contractantes ne deviennent le prétexte d'un commerce illicite, il est convenu que les sujets de Sa Majesté Britannique n'aborderont à aucun point où il se trouve un établissement Russe, sans la permission du Gouverneur ou Commandant; et que, réciproquement, les sujets Russes ne pourront aborder, sans permission, à aucun établissement Britannique, sur la côte nord-ouest. III. La ligne de démarcation entre les possessions des Hautes Parties Contractantes sur la côte du Continent et les Iles de l'Amérique Nord-ouest, sera tracée ainsi qu'il suit: 38 A partir du point le plus méridional de l'île dite Prince of Wales, lequel point se trouve sous la parallèle du 54° 40′ de latitude nord, et entre le 131° et le 133° degré de longitude ouest (méridien de Greenwich), la dite ligne remontera au nord le long de la passe dite Portland Channel, jusqu'au point de la terre ferme où elle at S. Doc. 162, 58-2, vol 3-11 cillor of State, &c. Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and signed the following Articles: Art. I. It is agreed that the respective subjects of the High Contracting Parties shall not be troubled or molested, in any part of the Ocean, commonly called the Pacific Ocean, either in navigating the same, in fishing therein, or in landing at such parts of the coast as shall not have been already occupied, in order to trade with the natives, under the restrictions and. conditions specified in the following Articles. II. In order to prevent the right of navigating and fishing, exercised upon the Ocean by the subjects of the High Contracting Parties, from becoming the pretext of an illicit commerce, it is agreed that the subjects of His Britannic Majesty shall not land at any place where there may be a Russian establishment, without the permission of the Governor or Commandant; and, on the other hand, that Russian subjects shall not land, without permission, at any British establishment, on the north-west coast. III. The line of demarcation between the possessions of the High Contracting Parties, upon the coast of the continent, and the islands of America to the north-west, shall be drawn in the manner following: 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 133rd 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, shall form the limit between the Russian and British possessions on the continent of America to the north-west. 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. 2nd. 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 10 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, shall be formed by a line parallel to the windings of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of 10 marine leagues therefrom. V. It is moreover agreed that no establishment shall be formed by either of the two Parties within the limits assigned by the two preceding Articles to the possessions of the other; consequently, British subjects shall not form any establishment either upon the coast, or upon the border of the continent comprised within the limits of the Russian possessions as designated in the two preceding Articles; and, in like manner, no establishment même, nul établissement ne sera formé par des sujets Russes au delà des dites limites. shall be formed by Russian subjects beyond the said limits. VI. It is understood that the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, from whatever quarter they may arrive, whether from the Ocean, or from the interior of the continent, shall forever enjoy the right VI. Il est entendu que les sujets de Sa Majesté Britannique, de quelque côté qu'ils arrivent, soit de l'océan, soit de l'intérieur du continent, jouiront à perpétuité du droit de naviguer librement, et sans entrave quelconque, sur of navigating freely, and without tous les fleuves et rivières qui, dans leurs cours vers la Mer Pacifique, traverseront la ligne de démarcation sur la lisière de la côte indiquée dans l'Article III de la présente Convention. VII. Il est aussi entendu que, pendant l'espace de 10 ans, à dater de la signature de cette Convention, les vaisseaux des deaux Puissances, ou ceux appartenans à leurs sujets respectifs, pourront réciproquement fréquenter, sans entrave quelconque, toutes les mers intérieures, les golfes, havres, et criques sur la côte mentionnée dans l'Article III afin d'y faire la pêche et le commerce avec les indigènes. VIII. Le port de Sitka, ou Novo Archangelsk, sera ouvert au commerce et aux vaisseaux des sujets Britanniques durant l'espace de dix ans, à dater de l'échange des ratifications de cette Convention. Au cas qu'une prolongation de ce terme de dix ans soit accordée à quelque autre Puissance, la même prolongation sera également accordée à la Grande Bretagne. 39 IX. La susdite liberté de commerce ne s'appliquera point au trafic des liqueurs spiritueuses, des armes à feu, des armes blanches, de la poudre à canon, ou d'autres munitions de guerre; les Hautes Parties Contractantes s'engageant réciproquement á ne laisser ni vendre, ni livrer, de quelque manière que ce puisse être, aux indigènes du pays les articles cidessus mentionnés. any hindrance whatever, all the rivers and streams which, in their course towards the Pacific Ocean, may cross the line of demarcation upon the line of coast described in Article III of the present Convention. VII. It is also understood, that, for the space of 10 years from the signature of the present Convention, the vessels of the two Powers, or those belonging to their respective subjects, shall mutually be at liberty to frequent, without any hindrance whatever, all the inland seas, the gulfs, havens, and creeks on the coast mentioned in Article III for the purposes of fishing and of trading with the natives. VIII. The Port of Sitka, or Nova Archangelsk, shall be open to the commerce and vessels of British subjects for the space of 10 years from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of the present Convention. In the event of an extension of this term of 10 years being granted to any other Power, the like extension shall be granted also to Great Britain. IX. The above-mentioned liberty of commerce shall not apply to the trade in spirituous liquors, in fire-arms, or other arms, gunpowder, or other warlike stores; the High Contracting Parties reciprocally engaging not to permit the above-mentioned articles to be sold or delivered, in any manner whatever, to the natives of the country. |