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Such are the limitations of royalty。
Meantime； I made visits to my colleagues of the diplomatic corps；
and found them interesting and agreeableas it is the business
of diplomatists to be。 The dean was the German ambassador；
General von Schweinitz； a man ideally fit for such a positionof
wide experience； high character； and evidently strong and firm；
though kindly。 When ambassador at Vienna he had married the
daughter of his colleague； the American minister； Mr。 John Jay；
an old friend and colleague of mine in the American Historical
Association； and so came very pleasant relations between us。 His
plain； strong sense was of use to me in more than one difficult
question。
The British ambassador was Sir Robert Morier。 He； too； was a
strong character； though lacking apparently in some of General
von Schweinitz's more kindly qualities。 He was big； roughish； and
at times so brusque that he might almost be called brutal。 When
bullying was needed it was generally understood that he could do
it con amore。 A story was told of him which； whether exact or
not； seemed to fit his character well。 He had been； for a time；
minister to Portugal； and； during one of his controversies with
the Portuguese minister of foreign affairs； the latter； becoming
exasperated； said to him： 〃Sir； it is evident that you were not
born a Portuguese cavalier。〃 Thereupon Morier replied： 〃No； thank
God； I was not： if I had been； I would have killed myself on the
breast of my mother。〃
And here； perhaps； is the most suitable place for mentioning a
victory which Morier enabled Great Britain to obtain over the
United States。 It might be a humiliating story for me to tell；
had not the fault so evidently arisen from the shortcomings of
others。 The time has come to reveal this piece of history； and I
do so in the hope that it may aid in bettering the condition in
which the Congress of the United States has； thus far； left its
diplomatic servants。
As already stated； the most important question with which I had
to deal was that which had arisen in the Behring Sea。 The United
States possessed there a great and flourishing fur…seal industry；
which was managed with care and was a source of large revenue to
our government。 The killing of the seals under the direction of
those who had charge of the matter was done with the utmost care
and discrimination on the Pribyloff Islands； to which these
animals resorted in great numbers during the summer。 It was not
at all cruel； and was so conducted that the seal herd was fully
maintained rather than diminished。 But it is among the
peculiarities of the seals that； each autumn； they migrate
southward； returning each spring in large numbers along the
Alaskan coast； and also that； while at the islands； the nursing
mothers make long excursions to fishing…banks at distances of
from one to two hundred miles。 The return of these seal herds；
and these food excursions； were taken advantage of by Canadian
marauders； who slaughtered the animals； in the water； without
regard to age or sex； in a way most cruel and wasteful； so that
the seal herds were greatly diminished and in a fair way to
extermination。 Our government tried to prevent this and seized
sundry marauding vessels； whereupon Great Britain felt obliged；
evidently from political motives； to take up the cause of these
Canadian poachers and to stand steadily by them。 As a last
resort； the government of the United States left the matter to
arbitration； and in due time the tribunal began its sessions at
Paris。 Meantime； a British commission was； in 1891…1892； ordered
to prepare the natural…history material for the British case
before the tribunal； and it would be difficult to find a more
misleading piece of work than their report。 Sham scientific facts
were supplied for the purposes of the British counsel at Paris。
While I cannot believe that the authorities in London ordered or
connived at this； it is simple justice to state； as a matter of
fact； that； as afterward in the Venezuela case；＇1＇ so in this；
British agents were guilty of the sharpest of sharp practices。
The Russian fur…seal islands having also suffered to a
considerable extent from similar marauders； a British commission
visited the Russian islands and took testimony of the Russian
commandant in a manner grossly unfair。 This commandant was an
honest man； with good powers of observation and with considerable
insight into the superficial facts of seal life； but without
adequate scientific training； his knowledge of English was very
imperfect； and the commission apparently led him to say and sign
just what they wanted。 He was somehow made to say just the things
which were needed to help the British case； and not to say
anything which could hurt it。 So absurd were the misstatements to
which he had thus been led to attach his name that the Russian
Government ordered him to come all the way from the Russian
islands on the coast of Siberia to St。 Petersburg； there to be
reexamined。 It was an enormous journeyfrom the islands to
Japan； from Japan to San Francisco； from San Francisco to New
York； and thence to St。 Petersburg。 There； with the aid of a
Russian expert； I had the satisfaction of putting questions to
him； and； having found the larger part of his previous alleged
testimony to be completely in conflict with his knowledge and
opinions； I forwarded this new testimony to those in charge of
the American case before the Paris tribunal； in the hope that it
would place the whole matter in its true light。 With it was also
presented the concurring testimony taken by the American experts
who had been sent to the Behring Sea。 Those experts were Drs。
Mendenhall and Merriam； scientists of the highest character； and
their reports were； in every essential particular； afterward
confirmed by another man of science； after study of the whole
question in the islands and on the adjacent seasDr。 Jordan；
president of Stanford University； probably the highest authority
in the United Statesand； perhaps； in the worldregarding the
questions at issue： a pupil and friend of Agassiz； a man utterly
incapable of making a statement regarding any point in science
which he did not fully believe； no matter what its political
bearing might be。
＇1＇ See my chapter on the Venezuela Commission for the trick
attempted by British agents in the first British Blue Book on
that subject。
And now to another feature of the case。 Before leaving Washington
for St。 Petersburg； I had consulte