Arizona silver belt., 1889-06-08
THE EEIiRING SEA QUESTION

States and England in regard to the jurisdiction ef the waters of behring Sea is earnestly occupying the atten
 ton of the respective governments, the United States claiming exclusive control by virtue of the purchase of Alaska from Russia, Seas are ro, garded as the common highways of nations. The main oceans, for nayI- gation and fishing, are open to all mankind; and tho law governing in relation thereto precludes exclusive use by any nation. Every state, how ever, has jurisdiction ever its own subjects in it's own public and private vessels, The persons on board such vessels ire protected and governed by the law of the country to which they belong, and they may be punished by these laws for otienses committed on board of it's pubic vessels in foreign ports. The question hew far nation has jurisdiction ever the seas adioiu- ing it's lands, is not clearly settled.
 It appear to be generally conceded that a nation has right of exclusive domain over navigable rivers flowing through its territory, the harbors, bays, gulfs, and arms of the sea and such extent of sea adjoining its terri tory as is necessary to the safety to the nation, which is considered by seme to be as far "as a cannon shoa will reach, or about a marine league, Different nations have at times claimed much w,der jurisdiction ever the sea; but such claim rests upon doubtful authority.
 Tho free navigation of the Behung Sea, for the purpose of commerce, is not objected to by the United States, but she does object to England $ claim to an equal share of the whale, sal mon, cod and seal fisheries, by reason of title derived from Russia, and in view of that right has arrested, ibe!ed and sold British peaching vessels regarded as violating that right, to which Great Britain demurs. St, Paul and St. George islands, where seals arc most numerous are small, and nearly in tho the center of Beh- ring Sea, and have proved a source of revenue to the United States as well as the Aleutian Islands.
 It will be remembered that in cur controversy with Canada m regard to the fisheries on that coast she claimed, and still maintains, that her iurisdic- ton extends from headland to head land, three leagues, and England sup ports her claim, holding that Russia asserted title to the exclusive control of Behring Sea upon the clam that that water is not a part of the open ocean, for the reason that on its southern geographical line it Is bound cd by the continuous cham of islands called the Aleutian Islands, and part of Alaska which presents a complete line of demarkatisu between the Pa. cifc Ocean and the Behring Sea. Rus sia claimed this territory by discovery. Captain Behring, who was sent out in 1733 by Empress Ann, discovered the mainland of North America in lati- tude 58 degs. 28 min. on the 18th of July, TAI, and sailing up the coast Behring discovered many of the islands of the Aleutian Archipelago, some of which, however, he sighted during . previous voyage in 1728 The coast of British Columbia vas discovered in 1790 by Vancouver, up- on the strength of which England claimed its sovereignty, The diseoy- cry of the coast ot Oregon by Captain Gray, the same year, formed the basis of claim of our Government of the whole coast, at least, as far north as the Russian discoveries, which was fixed as the parallel of 54 degs. 40 min, in the treaty concluded in St. Peters burg Tn 1624.
 Alaska was offered to the United States by Russla during the Crimean war, in 1851, but was declined by the Pierce administration, and again to Buchanan, and finally the fact that the Hudson Bay Company's tan Ea- glish corporation) lease would expire in June, 1867, and that there was evident danger of its renewal, induced Ehe United States 10 enter into formal negotiations for its purchase, con ducted by William H. Seward, Secrs- tary of State, of the United States, and Baron Steeckl, the Russian Min istsr at Washington, winch resulted n the formation of the treaty of March 30, 1867, and the transfer of Alaska to the United States for $7,- 100000 Tn gold. The issue now pre- santed by England Is that the Behring Ssa is the Pacific Ocean, which asser- ton, It would seem, comes a lrttle late in the day alter at least tacitly, and without opposition, admitting Rus sia's claim for one hundred and twen-