The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-07

Comments Of the English and Canadian Press
ON the Recent Seizure.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON. Aug 6.-The seizure of the
Black Diamond has again called public at
tention to the questions ut issue between
England and the United States on the sub
ject of the seal fisheries in Behring sea, and
the newspapers comment very freely upon
what most of them agree in describing as
"the latest outrage" The st. James Ga
zette, to-day, very emphatically condemns
the seizure, and believes that the English
speaking people on both sides of the Allan
tic are tired of the lodges of political
tricksters. resorted to to further their own
selfish purposes, such as the dismissal of
the British minister at Washington, and the
present gratuitOus outrage. The Gazette
trusts that Sir Julian Pauncefote's pres
ence at the time in London will hasten q
settlement of the vexed questions involved
in the Black Diamond seizure.
TORONTO, Aug. Ga special from Ottawa
to the Empire, the government organ, saws:
There was considerable chuckling here at
the news from Victoria at the safe arrival
there of the sealer Black Diamond. although
there is naturally much resentment still ex-
istent at the outrageous conduct of Captain
Shepard In fOrcibly boarding the vessel and
breaking open the ships lockers. Captain
Shepard's action and that of his govern
ment affords very remarkable contrast to
the treatment extended to United States
fishing vessels that have been seized or de-
tanned for transgressiOns of the Canadian
fishery laws on the Atlantic. Take as an
instance the case If the schooner Matte
Winship. seized off Sydney in June last.
That vessel was released on a bond for
So, 900, and subsequently the Canadian gov
ernment intimated its willingness to give
up the vessel on the payment of $4,000 and
the expenses; while In the case of the Can
adian vessels seized in Behring sea. in 1887,
a number OF them have been allowed to go
to decay, and in other cases, when it was
proposed to bond them, the amount of Sc
curity demanded was so far in excess of their
actual value that their owners refused to
have anything to do with them. With
regard to others, it is learned that up to
the present it has been impossible to secure
a re-valuation of the seized vessels. Apart
altogether from the recent seizure, the con-
duct of Captain Shepard must of necessity
engage the most serious attention of the
home government. In this case a vessel
having British register and flying the
British flag is boarded on the high seas and
forcibly searched. Under these circum-
stances, it is surely due to British vessels
pursuing legitimate calling that the i'm
perial government should, without further
procrastination. take prompt and decisive
measures to protect its commerce beyond
the territorial waters of the United States
or any other country"
Collector Hamley telegraphed the Min
lister of Customs, later, that the Black Dia-
mond's spapers-clearance. coasting license
and certificate of registery-as we'll as her
salted skins, were taken from her.
OTTAWA. Ont, Aug. 6.-Hon. Mckenzie
Bowell Minister of Customs, has received a
full report from Victoria regarding the es-
cape of the Black Diamond The report
will. in due course, be submitted to the
Cabinet.