Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-09-12

purpose which President Harrison has 10
the seizure of Canadian aealing vessels
In Behring Sea is TO enforce the new law
of Congress relative to the protection of
fur-seal life in that region, and that there
Is no intention on the part of any one
connected with the admin 4tration to
assert that the Behring Sea is a closed
sea. The assumption seems to be that
the effort to preserve the fur-sesl fish.
cries Is new one, and that the move.
ment Is one for which the present admin
istration deserves great deal OF credit
The fact is that Secretary Bayard was the
hrst government official to actively in
terest himself In the effort to prevent the
utter extinction OF fur-seal life, and that
those features Of the present policy which
are commendable originated in the last
administration.
For some reason the official documents
,elsting to the subject have not been &C.
eessible since the 4th of March. It ia
ow, however, possible to tell in con-
ected way what the last administration
nd particularly Mr.. Beyard, undertook
o do in this matter. The recital of the
events will not only tend to make clear
Che policy OF the last administration. but
will also throw some new light upon the
existing situation. II, is no longer pos
sible to preserve any state secrets as to
the negotiations which Secretary Bsyard
commenced in 1887 to prevent the ex
termination of the fur seals In their an-
nual resort to the Psibslov Gioup in
Bebring Sea, II any one is disposed to
keep the facts from the knowledge OF tbs
general public. The public printer may
be too much occupied in attending to the
nf N nd IN.
ceiling cut the vast patronage OF his great
Office among the politicians. to print the
volumes Of the diplomatic corrsspon.
denoe which were sent to the government
printing office in last March. At ali
events, these volumes have not yet besn
received at the State Department, aud all
inquiries as to the condition which they
are in, aud the time when they may DO
expected, are answered by the statement
that there Is some ''trouble in the bind
cry" But the trouble in the bindery
can no longer keep from the public the
knowledge of these important negotis-
lions.
The two subjects have very different
history and each has special features
which neceseitate different action and
treatment in dealing with them, yet there
IL no doubt that when the treaty OF
Washington was abrogated by the United
States in June, 1885, and the Canadian
fish were shut out of our market, there
was movement by Canada to make us
uncomfortable on our northwest coast
by way OF counter irritation. Certain it
Is that, in the early autumn of 1885,
three British sealing vessels were cap
tured by United States marine vessels
(far out at sea- in Behring Sea and COM
plants lodged at once by the British
minister with the Department of State
This brought up the question of jurisiic-
tion In those waters aud after q careful
examination tho State Department came
to the conclusion that, without making
any unnecessary admission, the only way
to avert difficulty and save the admission
OF new and dangerous claims OF maritime
exclCsiveness, would be to have volun-
tsry cooperative police for all the mari
time powers, which would save the seal
life without making questionable and
far.reaching innovations in the code Of
international marine laws and the prRo
tice Of nations.
Russia was OF course. in the same boA'
with the United States, having rights ant
interests of the same nature In the regioI
of the North Pacific. The peouniary
or greater in the preparation of sealskin.
for use than OF the United States in tn,
original skin Of the animal, for ever,
Bealskin is ourried in London There
fore, having, through oar minister Mr.
Lothrop) at st. Petersburg and the Rus
sian envoy here, secured complete coinci
dence of action by Russia and the Unirei
States, Mr.. Bayard brought the matter
through Mr.. Phelps, before the British
foreign office in London.
At the same time identical letters werl
sent to Japan (Which has large fshsrie
in the Kurile chain of islands) to Syede
and Norway, and Denmark, also to Ger
many.
The Russian Ambassador at London
under instruction of his Government leu
his aid to MIR. Phelps, and Lord Sails
bury promptly indicated his satisfaction
and draft treaty was prepared, whereof
each nation should inhibit the taking O
fur-seal within the agreed lines OF long
tude in Behring Sea between the month
of April and November. The Russian
desired to include certain islands scout
OF the Aleutian chain. and this wa
deemed unobjectionabie, being only tn
extension of o wholesome rule intended
pro tOR0 pub!ic0, to preserve valuabl
article CT commerce from extinction.
In this sensible and proper way I'll
business was moving on until the Senat
committee on foreign relations BY form
report advertised, what they had long BIZ
fore signifed by less open action, thst Il
fishery negotiations shouid be attempte
which, by settling disputes peaoeably Rn
without offensive blustsr, could oaus
credit to inure 20 those then charged wit
the administration of the foreign rel
tions of the country.
The report especially to which refei
ence is made was submitted to the der
ate May It'll, 1888, by Mr.. Eimunds, an
signed by him, Sherman, Eyarts, Fry
ard Dolph. II proolaims an abandon
ment Of negotiations as means of SO
thing an international dispute, bu
coupled with the utterances of senate
in debate, and the outgivings of the
party press, plainly informed forsis
governments that they could expect
deal hopefully with the United Stat
Only when one OF the political parti
hal control. The extradition treaty wi
Great Britain had been in negotiation (,
ten years, and was first suppressed al
then rejected. The fisheries treaty W
refused amendment and rejected
strict party vote. A useless and mi
ohieyous amendment, against the earne
advice OF the administration, WAS ma
in the Hawaiian treaty. The exceile
treaty obtained from China was lost
hostile amendment. The important CO
yention with Turkey was similarly
tented; and, to end a long story, the
tention to obstiuot, embarrRss, dscred
md dafeat tha admin atratiou of nlax