The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-01

1t is announced from London that Lord
Salisbury has instructed Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, British Minister at Washington, to
consult the convenience of the United States
authorities in regard to the Behring Sea diff
fculty, the negotiations In regard to which
are to proceed quietly and continuously. No
Immediate pressure-so it is announced in
London,-is to be exercised upon the gov
eminent at Washington with regard to set.
ting the international question involved,
and nothing like formal demand for a
speedy conclusion of the affair is to be al
lowed. The line of action which has been
decided upon by Lord Salisbury is based on
his expectation that the American Secretary,
who is at this time hampered by the APP
preaching expiration of the lease of the
Alaska Company, will be more ready to
come to fnalities when the relations of the
great and powerful company to our govern
ment have been determined. Without doubt
this is so. The Alaska Commercial Compa-
ny, though keeping in the background, is a
potent influence in all happenings in the re-
gions about Alaska. From the Treasury De-
partment it holds its lease of the seal islands
and of course the State Department feels
bound in all negotiations to keep close
watch of the interests of the other branch of
administration. The record of the Alaska
Commercial Company will make plain its
great influence with the Treasury Depart
ment. During the seyenty-three years that
Russia held Alaska. 100000 sealskins were
taken, an average of $4,000 year. Since
the United States has had possession, the
yearly average has been 5000 OIL more This
is an immense business, when the
commodity handled is so valuable
as are sealskiEs. The Alaska Com
mercial company does this business and has
since it began operations in 1870. This COM
pany besides its sealing business, monopo
Lies the fur trade of all Alaska, and its
islands west Of the 141st meridian and south
OF the Arctic ocean, though that branch of
its business is not concerned in the present
inquiry, which has to do with the monopoly
OF the seal fisheries. BY leasing the few
Islands in Behring Sea on which the seals
breed, the company maintains its monopoly.
These leases include not only the American
Islands, but the Commander, Copper and
Behring islands, over in Russian waters. or
~ ASAoS Az WasCio IsuSold Claims TO DOM
mate as she used to claim the domination of
Behring Sea. For the use of the Russian
islands. the Alaska Company pays the I'M
peIial Government Of Russia for the use Of
the American islands it pays the United
States Treasury department In seventeen
years from 1870 to 1887, the company paid
into the Treasury of the United States over
half million dollars for rent, and nearly
three million dollars royalty on the skins ID
took. The average annual receipts of the
Government from the company have been
nearly $S50.OOO. or nearly five per cent on
the seven millions which Alaska cost Uncle
Sam. 1t is easy to see that in any arrange
ments with foreign power, this great CON-
pany must be considered. 1t pays large
sum which even our treasury ought not to
lose, and 1t might, no doubt. were the reins
drawn little tighter, pay still more.