The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-27
THE BEHRING SEA sQUABBLE.

Before Alaska was purchased by this
county, Russia claimed and exercised con-
troll over the waters and fisheries of Behring
sea, and in the treaty relating to Alaska
formally ceded to the United States all
her claims except two islands on the
Kamschatka coast. The treaty cession ex-
plicitely covers the entire range of the
Aleutian islands with the two exceptions
noted; these form the southern boundary
Of the sea, stretching out from Alaska in a
semi-circle toward and the greater part of
the distance to Asia, and our boundary line
is drawn from the most remote of these
islands northward through the Behring sea
TO Behring straits. So far as any action or
intention of Russia could make it SO, hav-
ing at least transferred all of her authority
in the premises, the waters of that sea are
American waters. The British claim to sea
fishery rights then rests only on the doc
trine of national equality on the high seas;
for there is no British territory bordering
on Behring sea, nor is there any near it or
from which it is accessible, except
by long voyage involving passage
over some portion of the soil of the United
States 1t would thus, according to all in
ternational agreements and recognized
codes, appear that England has no more
right to engage in fur fishing there than
any other of the European powers except
ing only Russia
The English case rests altogether upon
two propositions, one whether the Behriug
sea- shut in by continuous American
archipelago on the south and a strait be
tween the American mainland and Russia
on the north, is really part of the Com
mon ocean, under international laws; and
the other whether the capture of seals and
other amphlbious animals during passage
from one OF our islands to another, is prop
erly exercising high sea rights.
If the British claim should be permitted
to stand, it would be generally disadvan
tageous to the world, because by means of
such killing of seals but a small percentage
of those slain are recovered. The ratio has
been put at one out of ten, while all the
animals killed by Americans on land are
taken, there being thus no valuable
fur nor other desirable portions
lost, and no such wholesale destruc-
ton as that perpetrated by British
sailors, through whose rascally practices
the supply is already measurably shortened
and if persisted in would soon reduce it to
such insignificant proportions that there
would be no profit in it for anybody, while
sealskin wraps would advance to such
figure that only an exclusive few would
have them.
Mr. FELTON,, member of the national
House of Representatives from California,
who was member of the conference com
mittee between the two houses in the last
Congress, gives some valuable information
on this subject. He says: at is a matter
of history that Russia, from her discovery
of Behring sea down to the cessiOn to the
United States, controlled the navigation of
its waters and the taking Of its marine life.
To this end her navy patrolled it, and, in
pursuance of her laws, has taken, contis
Gated and burned marauding vessels. She
has since pursued, and is now pursuing the
same policy in her part of Behring sea-"
And referring to the fact that the United
States and Great Britain entered protests
with the Russian government against some
manifestoes issued by that nation in 1921,
claiming rights over Northern Pacific |
waters, he shows that these protests had
reference to the waters south of Behring
sea-an altogether different case. He says: |
In all protests, correspondence, negotiations |
and treaties there is no aIlusOn TO Benriug sea,
Alentian islands or to any region Of country or |
sea within one thousand miles of its eastern Dor |
der; hence the sovereignty asserted and main
tanned by Russia over that sea, from its discov-
cry TO its partition and cesSion TO the United |
States period OF over one hundred and forty |
years, has never been questioned or denied, and |
again, had il been understood that the waters Of
Behring sea and its marine life we're free to fish
ermen Of all nations, including ours there could
have been no incentive on the part Of our gov
eminent for its purchase.
If the Car had any title at the time
of the sale Of Alaska to this country, the
title in the latter is good now; if he had
none, then it would seem that the Anglo
American protests of 1921 were piece of
if nothing more. The very
fact, however, of their being made would
20 to show that Russia's right and title TO
the waters in dispute was valid and recog-
nized at that time, and that being the case
the United States is now the sole owner.
THE HERALD feels confident in saying that
the next British vessel caught fishing in
those waters will not escape as easily as
the Black Diamond did.
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