Mr. Loomis to Mr. Eddy.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

(Mr. Loomis informs Mr. Eddy that the Department has been advised by the British Government that an understanding is about to be concluded with the Russian and Japanese Governments for the protection of seals near the Commander Islands, under which British poachers are to be arrested and Japanese poachers are to be reported to the Japanese Government by the British vessel to be sent there for patrol duty; that it is expected that the British vessel will be enabled so to operate in Russian territorial waters of the Commander Islands, and that the British Government has offered to report any American poachers found there to the United States Government. This Government believes that it would be more desirable to detail a vessel to patrol the high seas near the Commander Islands, and, if agreeable to the Russian Government, the territorial waters near those islands also, for the purpose of seizing any American vessels found poaching there. Instructs him to ascertain whether it would be agreeable to the Russian Government to have the operations of the American patrol vessels extend to the territorial waters of the Commander Islands. An early response is desired in order to make the proposed detail promptly and to prevent encroachments upon the rights of the Russian Government in the fur seals of the Commander Islands by American vessels.)