File No. 861.0145/8.

The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.

No. 592.]

Sir: In continuation of my despatch No. 558 of May 16 last and in compliance with the Department’s instruction No. 168 of June 6, I beg to state that since the date of my despatch above mentioned the bill extending the area of Russian territorial waters to twelve miles from low-water mark along the Pacific coast of the Empire has passed the Duma and the Council of Empire, and only awaits the approval of the Emperor.

As regards the extension of the area of territorial waters along the coast of European Russia, I am informed by the British Chargé d’Affaires that his Government has not yet reached any definite conclusions in its discussions of the matter with the Russian Government. The President of the Council of Ministers, with whom he recently spoke on the subject, seemed disposed to agree, in principle, to the submission of the question, in a limited form, to a conference, but not otherwise.

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I cannot learn that any of the other diplomatic representatives are taking any part whatsoever in the discussion of this matter with the Russian Government.

I have [etc.]

W. W. Rockhill.