File No. 861.0145/12.

The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State .

No. 231.]

Sir: I have the honor to report that a telegram from Tokyo to the Russian papers stated on April 10 that, in view of the approaching opening of the fishing season, the Japanese press was protesting against the extension by Russia of its control over the fisheries in the Pacific to a twelve-mile limit from the shore.

A full report on this subject was forwarded to the Department in the Embassy’s dispatch No. 173, of February 3 last. Thinking, however, that the Department might desire to learn any possible further developments, the First Secretary of the Embassy, Mr. Wilson, called by my direction at the Japanese Embassy and reports that there has been practically no change in the situation since that date and nothing to cause any special protest on the part of the Japanese press, except that the approach of the fishing season rather brought the matter to public attention.

The Embassy informed Mr. Wilson that no reply had been received to its formal note of protest against Russian action in the Pacific fisheries, presented to the Russian Foreign Office on October 31, 1911, and that therefore a few days ago the Ambassador took up the matter verbally with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, suggesting to him the conclusion of some sort of modus vivendi to cover the present fishing season.

M. Sazonow made no formal reply to this proposition, but the Ambassador gathered from his remarks that the Russian Government [Page 1307] would make no concessions and intended to hold to its original plan of extending its control to the twelve-mile limit.

At present the matter rests at this point, and the Japanese Government, while ready and anxious to arrange some modus vivendi to cover the present fishing season, is not hopeful of a prompt or favorable acceptance of its proposal.

I have [etc.]

Curtis Guild.