File No. 850d.00/175.
The American Ambassador to
the Secretary of State.
No. 179.]
American Embassy,
St. Petersburg,
February 9, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose the original
and translation of a note sent me by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in
regard to my inquiries in connection with Spitzbergen.
You will notice that in the closing sentence my despatch No. 173 of
February 3rd, in regard to the Russian attitude on the extension of
jurisdiction on the open sea to twelve miles, is confirmed.
I have [etc.]
[Page 1306]
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to the American
Ambassador
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
St. Petersburg,
January 25/February 7,
1912.
Mr. Ambassador: Your excellency has
expressed the desire to be informed on the present situation in
regard to Spitsbergen, and also on the project of law extending the
zone of jurisdiction over the fisheries in the waters of the
Archangel Government to 12 marine miles.
I have the honor, therefore, to inform you that in accordance with an
understanding which has just been effected between the three Powers
of the North, the Governments which have taken part in the
Conference sitting at Christiania this January will communicate to
the Norwegian Government their observations on the project of the
convention elaborated by this Conference. The Norwegian Government
on its side, having received these observations, will not fail to
remit to the Governments which have received the original project of
the Spitzbergen Convention the texts of the convention and of the
arrangement which have just been elaborated. These Governments will
be invited to examine them and asked to send their replies in due
time to the three Powers of the North in order that the latter may
exchange views in regard to these replies before the final
invitation to the conference which the Norwegian Government proposes
to convoke in the near future, if possible in June of the current
year.
As regards the jurisdiction over the fisheries in the waters of the
Archangel Government, the project relating to it is still being
studied by one of the Committees of the Duma of the Empire, and it
is difficult at this time to fix the date on which it will be
submitted to the examination of the Duma in full sitting.
Please accept [etc.]
