New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-17
A RUSSIAN OUTRAGE.
INOFFENsIvE sEAsIEN MURDERED.

THE oUTRAGE-soME POINTS OF INTERNATIONAL
LAW.
iFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rprBuSEl
YOKOHAMA Feb 2O.-During the last few
weeks of 1881 there appeared by direction Of tho
Russian Consul in the local English papers here .
notice forbidding foreign vessels on and after jan
uary l. 1852. to engage IN trading, hunting or fish
ing the Russian coast or islands in Okhotsk and
Behring Seas without special license from the Gov
ernor of Eastern Siberia at Vladivostock under
penalty of conscation II both vessels and cargoes.
But no license or permit of any sort would he given
to hunt, fish or trade among the Commodore and
Robben Islands. The notice was signed by tho
Consul, A. Pelikan, and dated. Yokohama Novem-
Der 10. 1857 This date given, apparently, TO
cover if possible tho responsibility for an nnprece-
dented outrage, perpetrated by islanders, whom Rus
sa claims her subjects, uDon the crew OF vessel
returning from n campaign among the fur seals
and other animals OF the subPoar Pacific. The
schooner Diana on her way south had the misfor-
tune to put in at Medni, or Copper Island, one Of
the Commodore" group, referred 90 in Consul
Pelikan's mandate. she under the protection
of the United States flag Mr. Petersen, her cap
tain is German and her is composed In part
of Germans and japanese. Thus there are at least
three Powers concerned On his way toward
Yokohama, after successful cruise Captain Peter
sen came in sight CT Copper Island. As he was IN
need of a repcnishment of wood and fresh water,
lie anchored close possible to the shore and IN
view and easy access of a watercourse and we'll
forested slopes He manned three boats. in which
water-butts TO be filled and tools for telling
and cutting timber. These movements were
watched from the shore and no sooner was a land
ing effected than murderous lire was opened and
sustained from cover by some twenty or thirty
rifles. Three Japanese fell dead on the beach, and
two Europeans were severely wounded-one, a man
named Schmidt taking away with him no less
than eight bullets, while a comrade. also German,
was pierced by two. The first officer maintaineh
discipline in his own boat into which be got his
wounded, and then gave the order To shove OH,
" mich was obeyed under CALLING fire. The men OF
the other two boats also fastened of, and thus the
ship was reached Against her row were directed
the missiles from the shore; and she was struck IN
many places. Captain Petersen meanwhile got his
men on board weighed anchor, and sailed out OF
range. He had been flying the American ensign the
whole time; and be now hosted the distress flag at
the MAN, and sgnalled the shore for assistance for
the hurt, with O request that the Governor would
come of and visit his vessel. These demands re-
manning totally disregarded, he did the best ho
could himself for the sufferers and sailed away To-
ward PetropaulOfski, in the Bay Of kamchatka.
On her way the Diana encountered The Sea Lion,
another schooner also on her hOmeward voyage,
whose commander rendered assistance aud reported
the matter on his arrival here.
So much for the original outrage The two
wounded Europeans were placed in the General
Hospital of Yokohama, where their injuries speak
for themselves and where they have been seen by
the Hriter. l fear that Schmidt must be cripple
! for life, The wounded japanese have been treated
in the hospital Of their own nationality at Noge,
| su burb of Yokohama. When the Diana arrived at
Petropaulofsk1 the captain reported what bad oc-
currsd to the Governor. who treated him with
:-hcoity, and provided him with medical and sur
gical assistance tor the wounded; at the same tme
informing him that his cargo of skins would DO
con6scated, as they had been taken on Russian ter
ritory Captain Petersen again related his expert
ence ct Copper Island, stated WHY he had called
there, and asseversted that neither there nor on
any Russian possession had he taken single skin.
All WIS In vain Tho Governors threat was exc
crted He sent file of Cossacks with loaded rifles
| and fixed bayonets on board These men so thor
oughly ransacked and rummaged the vessel that
they did not leave single piece of petry. Alter
| this the DIANA WAS released from the embargo IN
which she had been placed and the Master was told
that he could sail whittier he would, after being
warned that even his craft was liable to sequestra-
ton and told that that would be her fate and that
of any other ship trespassing for the purpose Oh
hnnting or fishing on Russian shores in Russian
less several of her crew butchered in cold blood
| and others manned for life or seriously wounded
and her cargo the fruit OF long months Of industry
| exposure and peril deliberately stolen by the order
| of n Russian officer The United States Consul
| General was of course highly mcensed with tho
affair which he represented in its strongest light
| the light of fact-to his Government and he hopes
70 bring if he has not already brought the repre-
| sentative of Germany and the Toxic Goyeriment 70
| inn
| demand for apology and compensation.
| The action OF the Russian Consul has Deen pecu-
| liar and vet perhaps, what might have been ex-
| nected Acting under Instructions he atfirms that
the mariners trcspassng on Copper Island and
ste alng fur seals when they were bred upon that
| the assault was provoked: and that the coniiscs
tion of the seaskins was Just and proper while the
| authorities at Petropauoifsk: would have been
within their right III sequestrating the schooner
Thus American readers Will have no ulnlculty IN
con nccting this officers notification with the Diana
affair Tho document was made public after news
of fhs outrage had been received here No doubt it
| had been previously published among the islands
| of the Pacific and though the licensing rules were
not to be enforced until January ], yet the petty
local officials OF Medni or Copper Island saw ht To
give them retrospective action, aud chose To con-
slider their visitors as nrnders ana trespassers 10
he fired upon without Tuth and without warning.
Conner Island is not certainly, III the condition OF
Robben Island, n territory right to which may be
disputed as mentioned in the account OF Captain
p Hodnett's crcumnaygation of lesso. il is in
disputably Russian. But according TO all the
principles of international law, To say nothing OF n-
ternatlOnal GOODWILL any NeSocl lh Hccu vi tio
necessares wherewith to pursue her voyage is en-
titled to demand relief in the ports of any Power
with which its own country Is &c peace and on
| terms OF diplomatic friendship. That notification
which served as u text for this letter says; Tho
enforcement of the above will be ntrusted TO Rus-
sian of-war and also to Russian Merchantmen,
| which for that purpose will carry military detaoh-
| ments aud be provided with proper Instructions"
| What those instructions are likely To be may be
| gathered from the Diana affair What sort OF
Vessels are likely to be intrusted with enforcing
| them may be CLEANED from Captain Hodnetts en-
counter with the armed Russian schooner Leon.
| The captain of that vessel when asked by his Eng
| lish visitor TO indicate on map what Islands he