Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-08-20
LIGHT on THE BEHRING sEAQUEs


TON.
The Wilmington lDsl) Every Ecening
has m article on the Bshring Sea question
which bears every appearance of having
been inspired by ex.Sscrelary BAYARD.
who lives at Wilmington. The article ID
Of special importance, as giving an inside
and probably authOdtige account Of Dir.
BAYARD's negotiations for the protection
Of the seal fisheries, and also the explana-
ton Of Mt. BAYARD's sudden change Of
policy with regard TO the extent Of juris-
dic.ion Of the United S aies in the wsters
of Bshring Sea. Below will be found the
material portions of the article, which will
be found Of vital interest
In the fall Of 1856 thee British sealing
vessels we're seized by sn American
revenue cutter at considerable distance
from land IN the waters of BehriDg sea and
were towed captive to Sitka. Complaint
was instantly lodged by the British
government coupled with earnest protest.
This led 10 a lengthy correspondence be-
tween Secretary Blyard and the British
governmental of which has been
printed. Mr.. Bayard was Of the opinion
that our right 10 restrain these vessels was
very doubtful and on his suggestion they
were released after some delay IN tue ex-
ecution of the order. The question at
once arose whether there was any differ
-ence between the Jurisdiction OF nation
over one portion Of the high seas
and over another portion; Ia other
words whether there was TO be one
lew for the Atlantic and another for
rhe Pacific ocean Mr.. BayaTd did not
choose that this government should com
init an act of doubtful legality or allow
itself to be made catspaw for CONNER
ieltrading co mpauy, az the Germans did IN
Samoa, aud consequently have been
Obliged TO back down. He sought nothlDg
but what wss right, and was unwilling TO
submit to what was wTorg. Contempor-
sueously with this the negotiations with
Gre,t Britain as to our fishery rights IN
the waters of Nova Scotia and Newtound-
land were going on, and We were insisting
oa our right 20 20 through the Gut OF
Causo and to navigate the Gull OF 81:
lawrence. which is entirely surrounded
nv British territory. We were holding
Great Britain closely down to this on the
Atlantic coast. while the Alaska CONNER
cial company was urging claim to ex-
elusive Jurisdiction over a sea :, 900 miles
broad on the Pacific.
But the desirability of securing some
conventional agreement among the mari
time powers by which the valuable seal
fisheries Of BEARING Sea might be preserved
~ -
lated and iudiscriminate slaughter would
certainly canse WIS naturally fully appre-
ciated by Mr.. Bayard, and, following the
precedent OF an existing conventional ar
rangement between Great Britain, Nor
way, Sweden and Denmark, for the pro-
lection of the oil seal Of the North At
lsntic. q much less valuable animal than
the fur SEAL he addressed circular let
ters 10 the maritime powers, and
chiefly to Great Britain. Russia
was identically interested with the
United States ia this matter
because Of her Behring sea islands and be-
cause that government has also a contract
with the Alaska commercial company, al
lowing that company the same rights IN
the Russian as it possesses in the American
norton of Behring sea. Mr.. BayaJd,
through our minister at ST. Petersburg,
brought this matter TO the attention OF the
Russian government and found 1t earnest
ly in accord With his plan. The PROPOSE
ton was laid before the British government
10 inhibit the citizens or SUI iscts Of the
contracting powers from taking seal IN
The waters Of BehIing sea from the month
OF April 20 the month Of November,
and 10 enfoIcs this regulation by sum-
mary arrest Of all offenders By the ma
tiopal vessels of any of the parties to
the agreement. Great Britain responded
fsyorsbly 70 the proposition, fer her inter
est in the preservation Of the seal fisheries
is greater even than our own, because all
the seal furs are dressed in London where
thia business furnishes employment to
about $4,000 people, and as the English
are wise enough not to lay tariff on them,
tbera7s skins come in and the dressed
skins 20 ont duty free. Japan, owning
the Kurile islands, where there are also fur
seal was similarly favorable; as were also
/ Sweden and Norway and Denmark with
/ her Iceland and Greenland seal interests.
This negotiation would seem 10 have
/ been wholly neglected since Merch last
| and matters allowed to drift into & highly
| daoqeIous aud discredusb,e condition. 1t
/ is due to the American people that the al
/ minisiratioa OF their government should
promptly indicate whether they are to fol-
/ low the laws Of civilized nations and re-
strict their maritime Jurisdiction within
the limits they expect all other nations
equally 10 obey-Or whether, st the behest
ct mercenary trading company, they
will be led into false pretsnsion which
thew canrOs prosecute with safety nor re-
cede from without humiliation.