could have been reached earlier in response to the strenuous endeavors
of this Government, it would have been more effective; but coming even
as late as it did it unquestionably resulted in greatly diminishing the
destruction of the seals by the Canadian sealers.

In my last annual message I stated that the basis of arbitration
proposed by Her Majesty's Government for the adjustment of the
long-pending controversy as to the seal fisheries was not acceptable.
I am glad now to be able to announce that terms satisfactory to this
Government have been agreed upon and that an agreement as to the
arbitrators is all that is necessary to the completion of the
convention. In view of the advanced position which this Government has
taken upon the subject of international arbitration, this renewed
expression of our adherence to this method for the settlement of
disputes such as have arisen in the Bering Sea will, I doubt not, meet
with the concurrence of Congress.

Provision should be made for a joint demarcation of the frontier line
between Canada and the United States wherever required by the increasing
border settlements, and especially for the exact location of the water
boundary in the straits and rivers.

I should have been glad to announce some favorable disposition of the
boundary dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela touching the
western frontier of British Guiana, but the friendly efforts of the
United States in that direction have thus far been unavailing. This
Government will continue to express its concern at any appearance of
foreign encroachment on territories long under the administrative
control of American States. The determination of a disputed boundary
is easily attainable by amicable arbitration where the rights of the
respective parties rest, as here, on historic facts readily
ascertainable.

The law of the last Congress providing a system of inspection for our
meats intended for export, and clothing the President with power to
exclude foreign products from our market in case the country sending
them should perpetuate unjust discriminations against any product of the
United States, placed this Government in a position to effectively urge
the removal of such discriminations against our meats. It is gratifying
to be able to state that Germany, Denmark, Italy, Austria, and France,
in the order named, have opened their ports to inspected American pork
products. The removal of these restrictions in every i