"^On  the  5th  of  November,  the  governor  summoned  Captain  Petersen
before  him,  and  inquired  where  he  had  captured  his  fur-seal.  Cap-
tain Petersen  replied  that  the  skins  on  board  had  been  obtained  in
Japanese  waters,  at  the  Kurile  groups.  The  governor,  however,  appar-
ently not  satisfied  with  the  explanation,  ordered  the  seal-skins  to  be
sent  ashore,  because,  as  he  said,  they  might  possibly  have  been  taken
in  Bassian  waters,  where,  by  a  proclamation  (which  has  heretofore  been
the  occasion  of  instructions  to  your  legation),  the  capture  of  fur-seal  by
foreign  vessels  is  prohibited.  To  this  order,  founded,  as  would  seem,
on  mere  suspicion,  and  one  which  the  vessel's  own  log  of  her  cruise  in
the  Kurile  Islands  would  probably  have  shown  to  be  unwarranted.
Captain  Petersen  very  naturally  demurred,  whereupon  force  was  em-
ployed, 14  soldiers  were  sent  on  board  the  schooner,  and  five  hundred
and  seventy-two  skins  were  seized  and  carried  on  shore.  For  these  the
governor  gave  Captain  Petersen  a  receipt,  and,  it  is  stated,  referred  him
for  redress  to  the  Eussian  consul  at  Yokohama,  to  whom  he  said  the
receipt  might  be  shown  in  support  of  any  claim  Captain  Petersen
might  advance.
"The  Diana  was  then  allowed  to  sail  for  Yokohama,  and  on  ar-
riving there,  Captain  Petersen  made  formal  complaint  to  the  United
States  -consul-general,  filing  with  him  a  sworn  statement  in  support  of
his  claim,  with  afiSdavits  of  the  European  members  of  his  crew  as  to  the
truth  of  the  facts  alleged.  A. duplicate  original  of  Captain  Petersen's
petition  and  copies  of  the  other  depositions  mentioned  are  herewith
transmitted.
*'  You  will  observe  that  Captain  Petersen  claims  indemnification  to
the  amount  of  836,000  from  the  liussian  Government.    In  estimating
S.  Mis,  1C2— VOL.  Ill 43  673


$410.]  ships'  papers  and   sea-letters.  [chap.  XXII.
