bend of the Missouri River, south
of the forty-eighth parallel of north latitude," open to settlement and
subject to disposal as provided in section 25 of the act of March 3,
1891, aforesaid (26 U.S. Statutes at Large, p. 1035).

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.

[SEAL.]

Done at the city of Washington, this 20th day of May, A.D. 1891, and of
the Independence of the United States the one hundred and fifteenth.

BENJ. HARRISON.

By the President:
WILLIAM F. WHARTON,
_Acting Secretary of State_.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas an agreement for a _modus vivendi_ between the Government of the
United States and the Government of Her Britannic Majesty in relation to
the fur-seal fisheries in Bering Sea was concluded on the 15th day of
June, A.D. 1891, word for word as follows:

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE GOVERNMENT
OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY FOR A MODUS VIVENDI IN RELATION TO THE FUR-SEAL
FISHERIES IN BERING SEA.

For the purpose of avoiding irritating differences and with a view to
promote the friendly settlement of the questions pending between the two
Governments touching their respective rights in Bering Sea, and for the
preservation of the seal species, the following agreement is made
without prejudice to the rights or claims of either party:

(1) Her Majesty's Government will prohibit until May next seal killing
in that part of Bering Sea lying eastward of the line of demarcation
described in article No. 1 of the treaty of 1867 between the United
States and Russia, and will promptly use its best efforts to insure the
observance of this prohibition by British subjects and vessels.

(2) The United States Government will prohibit seal killing for the same
period in the same part of Bering Sea and on the shores and islands
thereof the property of the United States (in excess of 7,500 to be
taken on the islands for the subsistence and care of the natives), and
will promptly use its best efforts to insure the observance of this
prohibition by United States citizens and vessels.

(3) Every vessel or person offending against this prohibition in the
said waters of Bering Sea outside of the ordinary territorial limits of
the United States may be seized and detained by the naval or other duly
commissioned offic