July in each year, both days inclusive; and during this close time no nets or appliances of any kind that will capture salmon may be used in these treaty waters: Provided, however, That salmon fishing for hatchery or scientific purposes may be authorized during this period.

SEC. 7. The weekly close time for salmon fishing shall be from 6 o'clock a. m. Saturday to 6 o'clock p. m. Sunday, in Canadian waters, excepting in that portion of the Fraser River between New Westminster Bridge and Mission Bridge, where the weekly close time shall be from 6 o'clock a. m. Saturday to 6 o'clock p. m. on the following Monday, and in United States waters from Friday at 4 o'clock p. m. to Sunday at 4 o'clock a. m., and during this close time no salmon fishing of any kind, other than for hatchery or scientific purposes, shall be permissible, and during the full period of each weekly close time or annual close season each trap net shall be closed by an apron placed across the outer entrance to the heart of the trap, which apron shall extend from the surface to the bottom of the water and shall be securely connected to the piles on either side of the heart of the trap net, fastened by rings not more than 2 feet apart on taut wires stretched from the top to the bottom of the piles, and such apron, or the appliance by which it is raised and lowered, shall be provided with a signal or flag, which shall disclose whether the trap net is closed, and which shall be of the form and character approved by the commission: Provided, That in addition to the foregoing requirement, such trap net shall be equipped with a V-shaped opening, to the satisfaction of the commission, in the lead of such trap net next to the entrance to the heart and immediately adjacent to the apron, of at least 10 feet in width at the top and extending below the surface at least 4 feet below low water, which V-shaped opening shall remain open and unobstructed during the full period of each weekly close time or annual close season.

For the purpose of securing full compliance with this regulation the owner or operator of each trap net shall constantly maintain during the weekly and annual close times a watchman, whose duty it shall be to cause each trap net to be kept closed and the lead to be kept open, as above provided.

SEC. 8. All salmon trap nets shall be limited to a total length of 2,500 feet, with an end passageway of at least 600 feet between one trap net and the next in linear series, such distances being measured in continuation of the line of direction of the leader of such trap net, but in no instance shall more than twothirds of the width of any passageway at any point be closed by trap nets. There shall also be a lateral distance of at least 2,400 feet between one trap net and the next.

SEC. 9. A salmon purse seine shall not exceed 1,900 linear feet in length, including the lead and attachment, measured on the cork line when wet.

SEC. 10. (a) No purse seine shall be cast or placed in the water for fishing purposes within 2,400 feet of any trap net.

(b) The use of purse seines for the capture of sockeye salmon shall be confined to the treaty waters southward and westward of a straight line drawn from the lighthouse on Trial Island, British Columbia, to the northwest point of Whidbey Island, State of Washington.

SEC. 11. A salmon drift net shall not exceed 900 linear feet in length, and the vertical breadth thereof shall not exceed 60 meshes, and the size of the mesh shall not be less than 5 inches, extension measure, when in use.

SEC. 12. Any violation of these regulations in the treaty waters within the territorial limits of the State of Washington or within the treaty waters of Canada shall be punishable by the imposition of appropriate penalties to be provided by legislation in each country.

EXHIBIT P

RESOLUTION PREPARED BY DOCTOR SMITH AND MR. FOUND RELATIVE TO HALIBUT FISHING

WHEREAS the intensive fishing for halibut that has gone on for years on the halibut banks of the Pacific off the coasts of Canada and the United States has resulted in such serious depletion of the fishery on all but the far-northern banks as to threaten its commercial extinction; and

WHEREAS all the halibut banks are inhabited by several other kinds of highly edible fish which are caught frequently in as large or even larger quantities than halibut on the halibut fishing gear, but which fish have in past

years been altogether or largely thrown away as caught, on account of little or no market existing therefor; and

WHEREAS these fish can be produced and placed on the markets at vastly cheaper prices than halibut, so that it is in the public interest that a general demand therefor should be worked up and fishing for such fish as an industry encouraged, thus lessening the pressure on the halibut fishery; and

WHEREAS in the light of the investigations into the life history of the halibut that have been carried on up to this time, the most feasible method of adequately protecting the halibut fishery appears to be to divide the waters off the coasts of the United States and Canada into defined areas and prohibit all fishing for halibut in one area or several such areas for a sufficient number of years to enable the immature halibut therein to reach maturity, and then open such areas to halibut fishing for a given number of years and prohibit such fishing on the other areas, and so on; and

WHEREAS the effect of such method of protecting the halibut would be to prevent fishing for the different kinds of "cod" and other edible fish on such areas during the time that halibut fishing thereon would be prohibited, as the gear used to catch such fish would also capture halibut, and thus retard the development of such fisheries which might otherwise in a few years be of even more economic value to the general public of both countries than the halibut: Therefore

Resolved, That in the opinion of this conference it would be best for the respective Governments to have exhaustive scientific investigations continue into the natural history of the halibut, in order to determine if there is any method of properly protecting it without unduly restricting or retarding the development of other important fisheries, and that meantime and forthwith each Government exert every feasible effort to create a sufficient demand for the different kinds of "cod", flounders, and other edible fish not only to take care of the species thereof now being caught by the halibut fishermen, but also to encourage the catching of these fish as a separate industry, and it is so recom mended.

GUATEMALA

THE EARTHQUAKE IN GUATEMALA CITY 1

File No. 814.48/39

The Chargé in Guatemala (Thurston) to the Secretary of State

GUATEMALA, January 2, 1918. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a brief narrative covering the recent disaster suffered by Guatemala City:

At half past ten o'clock Christmas night this city was shattered by a violent earthquake. The destruction was great. At the time I was in the British Legation, but, although the shock was rather terrifying and greatly damaged the Legation building, all of us who were in it escaped unharmed. The British Minister, his Secretary, the Chilean Minister, and their wives and children all are living in the gardens of the British Legation.

Upon my arrival at our Legation-a 20-minute journey during which the shocks were incessant-I found everything to be in good condition and I then went to the Consulate, a massive two-story building. This had suffered extensively, and is now almost demolished. The Consul and his wife and the Vice Consul were not occupying the Consular premises and, although the houses in which they lived were greatly damaged, they also were unharmed.

After offering the hospitality of the Legation patio to some American families whose houses had been destroyed. I spent some hours inspecting the city, and witnessed the gradual and pitiless demolition of a great number of buildings. (A decidedly noticeable quake has just taken place, 12.45 a. m., January 3, 1918.) The remainder of that night was passed in the patio where, by moonlight, I framed my first cablegram to the Department. The sending of this message presented difficulties, since the cable, the telegraph, and the wireless stations were all out of commission. Mr. Clark, the general manager of the railways, accepted the message, however, and when his damaged line was repaired, my cable went over it toward the west coast as far as Escuintla, and from Escuintla to San José, the cable port, on a handcar.

Up to the present time I have remained practically without communication with the Department, for the cable is utterly unreliable, and the wireless does not seem to bring me any replies to my messages. One of your few messages to me has been received four

'Continued from Foreign Relations, 1917, pp. 754–759.

91114-3038

times; I am anxiously awaiting its next appearance. My personal belief is that a most ineffective attempt at censorship is being made by the Government.

The next morning, December 26, 1917, I interviewed President Manuel Estrada Cabrera at "La Palma ", his suburban residence. His Excellency received me in the garden near his office quarters, which had been entirely ruined the night before. (Another shock, 12.55 a. m.) My visit seemed to please the President very much and he was apparently greatly moved when I presented the condolences which I assured him would undoubtedly be repeated by my Government when communication was again established. I then proffered my services for the organization and operation of relief measures, and departed. Since then I have twice conferred with the President, laying before him plans for the sanitation of the city, distribution of food, and the sheltering of the homeless-and some of my suggestions have been put into operation. Mr. Alfred Clark, upon the request of the Red Cross of Washington, D. C., addressed the President requesting information as to the aid desired from the Red Cross, and has transmitted the desired data to that institution. The relief measures, and the organization of a local Red Cross relief committee, will form the subject of a later despatch. As to the effects of the earthquakes:

The death toll was very small-possibly 100 during eight days of continuous earthquakes, and possibly even fewer. (The third earthquake since beginning to typewrite this despatch has just occurred, Í a. m.) The material losses, however, are enormous. The accepted estimate places the destruction suffered by the city at 50 per cent of all structures; of the remaining 50 per cent it is estimated that the far greater proportion of the buildings are unfit for habitation. I have taken and will transmit to the Department when possible a number of photographs of the more striking scenes of destruction. Briefly summarized, it can be said that all municipal buildings, nearly all churches, the theaters, hotels, banks, the railroad station, and nearly all of the private residences, are in a state of partial or total ruin. I believe that not a building has entirely escaped. Among these is the Legation which, with a few dangerous cracks in the outer walls, and minus its flagstaff, cornices, some tiled roofing and a great deal of plaster, stands as one of the least damaged buildings in the city. Certain simple repairs will make it quite safe again, but for the present it is unsafe to remain inside of the residence quarters. The office quarters seem quite safe, and I have turned over a portion of them to the Consul.

The city is under martial law, and there have been no disturbances. A young American was taken up by soldiers and marched to the San José fort in this city because he had displayed a pistol. He was released immediately upon my verbal request.

As reported by radio yesterday, I have, for the convenience of the American colony, and in view of the fact that the post office is destroyed, and the temporary arrangement made by the Government for the handling of mail matter being considered unsatisfactory, accepted open letters, in English, and addressed to people in the United States, for transmission by the mail pouch. I have informed all who have entrusted their letters to me that neither the Department nor

myself would assume responsibility for the contents. I also informed them their letters would very likely be strictly censored.

Another departure from the customary routine has been made necessary by the present situation. Due to the general destruction, applicants for passports are unable to secure photographs, in view of which circumstance I am issuing emergency passports without the bearer's photograph. I am placing a low time limit for the expiration of these passports, also, which is generally 30 days.

Finally, I have taken from local bankers $1,500 United States currency and 35,000 pesos Guatemalan currency, with which I have conducted a small banking business for such members of the American colony as were embarrassed. All these measures have been of great convenience to a greatly distressed people during very trying conditions, and, while I realize I may not have held authorization for my actions, I trust the Department does not disapprove of them. I have [etc.] WALTER C. THURSTON

File No. 814.48/32

The Chargé in Guatemala (Thurston) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

GUATEMALA, January 13, 1918, 9 p. m. There will be at least 20 destitute Americans for refugee vessels. What will be done for them upon arrival United States? Many live in interior states.

THURSTON

File No. 814.48/38

The Chargé in Guatemala (Thurston) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]

GUATEMALA, January 16, 1918, midnight. Earthquakes continue moderately heavy. Please inform Red Cross written account leaves here next Tuesday. Relief work proceeding as quickly as conditions here allow. All supplies now discharged and being brought to this city. Commission from Panama very efficient. THURSTON

File No. 814.48/32

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Guatemala

(Thurston)

[Telegram]

WASHINGTON, January 19, 1918. Your January 13. You are authorized to arrange for the transportation of the destitute Americans therein mentioned, at a cost not exceeding $100 each, on a merchant vessel. The American Red Cross will take over their transportation from United States port to their homes. Issue identification certificate to each person for guidance Red Cross.

POLK