EXHIBIT I.
The memorial of Andrew Ronning, sometimes called Romney, to the Department of State, respectfully shows:
That said Andrew Ronning is now, and was at the time when the claim hereinafter set forth had its origin, a regularly naturalized citizen of the United States, and that he is unable herewith to produce a duly certified copy of his naturalization, but will hereafter produce the same if required; and that he is now, and was at the time when the claim hereinafter set forth had its origin, a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, and a duly qualified and registered voter therein.
That said Andrew Ronning claims from the Russian Government the sum of $15,000, being the entire sum hereby claimed. This claimant believes that the sum so claimed would not reimburse him for the loss and damage sustained by him from the wrongful act of the authorities of the Russian Government hereinafter set forth, and that this claimant has received no money or other equivalent or idemnification from insurance or otherwise for the whole or any part of the loss or injury upon which this claim is founded.
That the said claim is based upon the following facts and circumstances, to wit:
That I, the said Andrew Ronning, on the 7th day of May, A. D. 1892, was the duly acting and qualified mate of the American schooner C. H. White, belonging to the Eagle Fishing Company, of San Francisco, Cal., which said vessel on said day cleared from the port of San Francisco for a hunting and fishing voyage in the North Pacific Ocean, having at the time all the necessary and legal papers on board, as will more fully and at large appear by the memorial and papers in support thereof of said Eagle Fishing Company on file in this Department, and that on said day I, as mate, with said vessel and a good and sufficient Crew, did set sail and depart from the port of San Francisco, bound for the North Pacific Ocean, said vessel being at that time and at all the times hereinafter mentioned seaworthy and in all respects fit for the voyage which it took, as herein mentioned. I proceeded with said vessel on my voyage without disaster of any kind until the 15th day of July, A. D. 1892, and that prior to said day, and in the open Pacific Ocean, more than 30 miles south of the Aleutian Islands, and not in Russian waters, had caught 8 barrels of mackerel and 1 ton of codfish, and had killed 20 seals, all of which were caught and killed on the voyage from San Francisco, and more than 30 miles south of the Aleutian Islands, and not in Russian waters; that about the 12th day of July, A. D. 1892, I being then fishing about 40 miles south of Agattou Island, one of the Aleutian Islands, with said vessel and crew, set sail for the Kurile Islands, off the coast of Japan, intending to fish there, and the master then finding that the chronometer was out, wanted to sight land to correct his chronometer, and accordingly deviated from the course or route to the Kurile Islands for the purpose of sighting either Copper or Bering Islands to correct the chronometer, and on the 15th day of July we arrived at latitude 54° 18’ north, longitude 167° 19’ east, by correct observation, and had not fished or sealed in said place nor at any place within 50 miles thereof, or in Russian waters at all, and the wind being light, but the vessel sailing on its course as aforesaid, and no boats being out from said vessel either for hunting or fishing, and neither I nor anyone from said vessel being either hunting or fishing.
Said latitude 54° 18’ north, longitude 167° 19’ east, is by correct observation measured by the master on the United States Coast Survey Chart, No. 900, more than 80 miles from Copper or Bering Islands on the high seas, and not in Russian waters, when at said time, and in the latitude and longitude above mentioned, on the 15th day of July, A. D. 1892, as aforesaid, and not being at the time hunting or fishing, and not having at any time fished or hunted seals in Russian waters, but being at said time on its course for the Kurile Islands, as aforesaid, the said schooner was boarded by an officer from the Russian war cruiser Zabiaca, which said war cruiser Zabiaca was at all the times herein mentioned a steamer regularly commissioned as a cruiser and belonging to the Russian Government, armed for offensive and defensive warfare, and acting under the authority and by the directions of the Russian Government, and the master was by said officer ordered to come on board of said cruiser with all the schooner’s papers. He accordingly went on board. Shortly afterwards the captain of said cruiser had me as well as all the crew of said schooner brought on board of said cruiser, and I, with the rest of the crew of said schooner, was then and there arrested, and I was sent with an armed prize crew back to the schooner C. H. White, and I remained a prisoner upon said schooner until it arrived at Petropaulovsky on the——day of July, 1892. During the voyage to Petropaulovsky the following articles belonging to me were stolen by the Russians: Two nautical books, valued at $10; 1 pair rubber boots, valued at $5; 1 oil-coat, valued at $5; 3 suits of [Page 238] underclothes, valued at $9; 7 pairs of socks, valued at $3.50; 1 watch and chain, valued at $23; 1 razor, valued at $3; 2 pocketknives, valued at $2; and, notwithstanding my repeated demands for them, they were never returned to me.
Upon landing at Petropaulovsky the master went to the governor and demanded assistance. The governor allowed 15 kopecks (worth about 7 cents United States money) per diem for the support of each of the crew, and was informed that we were all prisoners, and that no more money would be allowed for our support, and then asked for shelter for his crew; but the only shelter given me and the rest of the crew (consisting of 10 white men and 4 Indians, together with 24 other men belonging to other vessels which had been seized by the Russians) was a room 10 feet by 18 feet, with a leaky roof and broken windows, in which I was compelled to live during my stay in Petropaulovsky, which lasted till the 8th day of August, A. D. 1892, and during that time I had to live upon a half loaf of bread each day (that being all the 15 kopecks allowed by the Russian Government would then buy); the bread, together with what I could beg, was not sufficient to keep me from hunger. From the exposure to the damp and foggy weather during my imprisonment at Petropaulovsky, and from the insufficient food, I suffered great physical pain, from the effects of which I have not yet recovered.
On the 8th of August provision was made for the passage of myself and the other prisoners at Petropaulovsky (84 in all) to some American or British port. Accordingly, on said last-named day I was driven on board of the American bark Majestic, where, on account of insufficient food and accommodation, I suffered greatly during my passage to Port Townsend, where I arrived on the 31st day of August, A. D. 1893.
That many of the facts constituting the cruel acts by the Russian officials and showing their lack of humanity in matters pertaining to this claim are not in my direct knowledge, but are more fully and at large set forth in the memorandum of Lawrence M. Furman, of said schooner,C. H. White, to which said memorial reference is hereby made in support hereof.
The master of the said schooner C. H. White duly protested at the time to the captain of the Russian cruiser Zabiaca against the seizure of the said vessel, and at the time protested against each and all the inhuman and cruel acts by the Russian officials hereinbefore complained of, and duly noted a protest on the 5th day of August A. D. 1892, to the Russian governor of Petropaulovsky; and on the 31st day of August, A. D. 1892, duly made a regular marine protest against said seizure and acts hereinbefore complained of to James G. Swan, a notary public in and for Port Townsend, State of Washington, United States of America, immediately upon my arrival at said city, and said city being the first place in the United States at which I arrived, all of which said protest made before James G. Swan as aforesaid was also signed by me.
That the seizure of said schooner C. H. White, and all of the cruel and inhuman acts by the officers of the Russian war cruiser Zabiaca, and by the Russian officials committed upon me, were in violation of the law of nations and of my rights as a citizen of the United States, and in contravention to the treaties existing between the United States and Russia, and that this claim is founded upon the principles of international law and the rights which every person and every nation has upon the high seas, and upon the fact that all the above-mentioned acts by the Russian Government and its officials were in violation thereof.
Wherefore I hereby request the interposition of the Government of the United States of America against the Russian Government for the presentation of this claim against the said Russian Government.
[seal.]
State of California, City and County of San Francisco, ss:
Andrew Roning, being duly sworn, says: I am the person making and subscribing the above memorial to the Department of State.
I have read the foregoing memorial and know the contents thereof. The same is true, of my own knowledge, except as to those matters which are therein stated on information and belief, and as to those matters I believe it to be true.
[seal.]
Notary Public in and for the City and County of San Francisco, State of California.