The morning news., 1889-05-31
BEHRING SEAS WARTALK
CHAMPAGNE MAKES A NAVAL
OFFICER VERY BOMBAsTIC.

he Says There Will Be Fight If This
Country Attempts TO Stop the
British Fishermen From Plying
Their Avocation-No Alarm Felt at
Headquarters.
CHICAGO, May 3O.--A special dispatch to
the Times from Victoria, B. c.. says: "Start-
ling revelations concerning the tenor and
extent of the orders issued by the admiralty
authorities to Admiral Heneage, COM
manding the Pacific squadron, and under
which the British men-of-war Swiftsure,
Icarus and Amphion, now at Esquimalt,
will proceed to Behring sea early in June,
we're made yesterday by an officer in high
rank attached to the flagship. He and a
number of other naval officers atten ded q
luncheon given by local club men, and be-
fore the affair came to a close, all we're very
much under the influence of champagne.
PREDICTED SOME FIGHTING.
cat the hight Of the festivities tie officer,
in responding to the toast t. the navy, said,
in substance. that there would be some
fighting soon in Behring sea if the American
authorities attempted to prevent Canadian
S60ieTS lIOul nubGihS bLlCIo' 4NO dbbOIbAOl1
would be paid to the Presidents proclama-
tion. he said and the admiral would not
only dispute the claim of the Americans to
exclusive sovereignty in the disputed
waters, but If American cruisers should
take into custody Canadian sealers caught
fishing therein, British men-of-war would
take steps to recapture them
MORE VESSELS ON THE WAY.
"He said further that the admiral COM
mandng the North American squadron
had sent the British cruiser Buzzard from
Bermuda to New York, and while there or
ders were received from the admiralty to
act at once and send two war ships from
the North American station to reinforce
those now under orders to proceed to Behr-
ing sea. If the statements made by the officer
are true it would seem that Great Britain
means to resort to force rather than wait
for diplomatic solution Of the seal fishing
difficulty. Late yesterday the admiral
heard Of the statements made by the officer
and at once ordered him under arrest
Strong efforts were made to keep the mat
ter secret, but it leaked out and caused
great excitement. He has communicated
to the British admiralty authorities by
cabIe.n
AN OFFICIAL DENIAL.
LONDON, Nav 30.-In the House of Com
mons this evening, Sir James Ferguson,
parliamentary secretary to the foreig l
Office, denied the report from Victoria, B.
c., that three men-0f-war had been ordere
to proc ed to Behring sea in June to protect
British sailing vessels from interference by
American men-Of-war.
CANADA STILL CALM.
OTTAWA, May 30.-The department of
marine and fisheries is vet without any off
cal Information as to the dispatch of war
ships to Behring sea by either England or
the United States. No significance is at
tached by the head officia to the dispatch
of these .teamerS. Atany rate, that is how
they express themselves.
NO CREDENCE GIVEN THE STORY.
WASHINGTON, May 30.-The war-like
dispatches from British Columbia with re-
gard to expected trouble b5tween the
United States and Great Britain over the
Behrlng sea seal fisheries are generally DIS
credited by the officers of the navy depart
meut. 1t is pointed out that no officer of
rank sufficiently high to make him ac-
quaintsd with the English gov
ernments purpose would under any
circumstances be 50 foolish as
20 talk in the manner stated in the dispatch
from Victoria. a prominent naval officer,
IN speaking on the subject, said that If such
talk did occur the speaker was some subal-
tern who had drank too much and lOst his
head and had by high talk given his saudtors
to believe something startling was gOi g T.
take place and that he knew all about it.
The United States had no reason to appre-
hend any difficulty.
WOULD GIVE US WARNING.
Great Britain assuredly would not COM
NIT any overt act of violence in case her
sealers were arrested without warning this
goyermelt Of its intentions. A warning
that Great Britain would by force dispute
the sovereignty Of Behring sea had never
been communicated to the United States,
and this alone showed the improbabihty of
the story. 1t might be that the three YES
s9ls named were going to Behring
sea, though that was by no
means certain. Their duties there, however
would probably consist in nothing more
than keeping watch on the situation, tC
prevent their citizens from being wantonly
4l-rsed aad giving the ssalers good advice.
II our vessels attempted anything that was
unwarranted, 1t might be that tine British
would feel called upon to interfere. The
United States sent vessels TO the Newfound-
iaAd fisheries each year to look after Ameri-
can interests, and the British vessels
probably had q similar mission in Alaskan
there.
OUR SMALL NAVAL FORCE.
Inc United States naval force at present
4Vailable in Behring sea consists of the
;95ear, the Thetis and a revenue cutter.
ihese vessels are of no use for actual war
11a,fe, and are SIMPLY policemen Of the sea.
IAo Adams and the IroQuois are at Mare
Aland, and could be sent to sea at short
uoIce II circumstances demanded it. The
lnarieston is also at San Francisco, but il
VII be some time before she will be ready
og) into commission. She has demon
ated, 1t is said, that she is an excellent
D't' but has not yet fGlfilled her contract
aeulrements and some changes are neces-
pug IN her machinery before she can come
r o the conditions Of the contract. Even
=. 'ese requirements were waived under
ss sIes Of an emergency it would take some
Vl."e o iit the Charleston ont for service.
T ~ AI been already stated, however, naval
o.Neel do not think the situation alarming
m eve threatening. The Behring sea fish
ta.5s, hey are confident, will not precipi-
Vass lufliCt between the United States