Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-26
THE BEHRING SEA AFFAIR.

If there is truth IN the report that Eng
land is enlisting the support of European
Powers in resistance to the claim of the
United States to exclusive jurisdiction
within the Behring Sea bounds that en-
brace the marine territory we purchased
from Russia, then indeed there may be
taken on by us some grave concern. This
country cannot with honor, and without
loss of chief acquired right, yield tamely
to any demand to permit indiscriminate
seal fishing in the marine territory referred
to. We must not be so radical, however
as to refuse to debate the issue with Great
Britain. Submission to arbitration is sug-
gested. If we agree to this, we must of
course be bound by the judgment; if we
refuse, it will argue want of confidence in
the justice of our claims. The arbitra-
ton proposition, therefore, puts US in a
very peculiar position. We do not, how
ever, believe that Great Britain-assum-
ing the report to be true-will secure any
considerable ally support if she deter
mines to contest our claim. The two Eng
glish-speaking nations should set better
example to the world than doing battle
with each other over this dispute. Diplo-
macy ought to be equal TO the settlement
of the difficulty. In any event, we can
not contemplate war since its fruits, if
we were victorious, would not compensate
us for its cost. 1t is probable, therefore,
that if the rumored insistence of England
is maintained, we will be compelled to re-
sort to arbitration.
If our bounding Of the marine territory
of the United States in the Behring Sea is
defensible, as We believe it to be, we ought
to be able to establish it before an impair.
tial tribunal. But before arbitration is re.
sorted to ordinary, even extraordinary
diplomatic methods should be exhausted
and as yet they have not been, indeed they
have scarcely been entered upon. The
difficulty is that the European powers
are supposed to outgeneral us in diplo
macy, and there is reason TO fear they
might do so in the present contest.
We have said that we believe the
United States of America owns the Behr
ing Sea north of the line of the Aleutiar
Islands, and east of line running from
their westernmost point direct to ant
through the middle of Behring Straits
The treaty describes this westernmost line
clearly and specifically. For more than {
hundred and twenty-five years Russia ex
ercised jurisdiction over these waters, ant
her claim to them was never successful,
disputed. England at one time attempted
to treat with Russia to secure acknowledg
ment that the waters were open, but failed
When Mr.. Adams was Secretary of STATE
he corresponded with Mr.. Politica, rep
resenting Russia, upon this point, and il
was then held, and the holding was no
broken, that all the conditions of CLOSED
waters attached to Behring Sea. TIL,
United States and England, says Mr.
Whitney, an authority on international
law, by express treaties, recognizing Rus
sian bounds and territory, made in 1872
and 1925, conceded that Russia, by discov
cry, occupation and long-continued undis
puted exercise of exclusive jurisdic
ton, was fortified by right in tn,
claim that Behring Sea was a closed sea
BY the treaty of 1924 we consented
to a ten years limitation to our privileg,
TO fish and hunt seals in Behring Sea, thu
clearly confessing Russia's claim to the Sc:
as inland waters owned by her The mex
year England made similar treaty, anC
IN like manner refused TO dispute Russia
claims to the sea north of the Aleutiar
chain. Russian territory at that tim,
bounded Behring Sea on all sides, and thu
the waters were hers "by natural right
as Mr.. Whitney puts it. Our right wa
acquired from Russia, and whatever sh,
possessed We purchased The situation i
not, therefore, changed with the change o
ownership. 1t remains the same, will
simply this difference, that an agreed iin
between Russian and American possession
OF Behring Sea is 'lrawn upon the map.
Let the reader turn to any fairly elabo
rated map, and he will find that the main
land of Alaska and the line Of the Aleu-
tian islands completely describe the south
ern and eastern boundaries of our pur
chase-though, in fact, the south line run
below the islands and strikes the mai,
land at Prince of Wales island. Now lie
him turn to the treaty Of cession con
Guided with Russia June 20, 1867 (Ex
ecutive Document, No. SO, Forty-first Con
gress, third session. and ascertain how
Russia defined the west boundary of tn,
territory she sold TO us. 1.-The wester,
limit begins at point in the center O
Behring Straits on the parallel of 65o 80
north latitude, at its intersection by tn,
meridian which passes midway between
the islands of Krusenstern, or Ignalook
and the island of Ratmanof, or Noonar
book; the line runs thence due north int
the Arctic Ocean without limit. Also
from the same point in the straits, in ;
course nearly southwest, through Behrin.
Straits, and Beiring Sea, so as to pas
midway between the northwest point o
the island OF ST. Lawrence, and til,