Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-31
THE SEALING DISPUTE.
voluminous Correspondence Laid
Before the House.
The Question Assumes Serious Aspect
The Objections of Canada Retard Ne
xotfations -Secretary Blaine Uses
Plain LanKuase.


yesterday afternoon. 1t is extremely vol
luminous, covering many hundreds of pages
of typewritten manuscript 1t is accompa-
MED by note from the Secretary OF State
in progress.
The correspondence consists OF thirty let
tiers and kilograms. 1t begins with letter
from Mr.. Edwards Secretary OF the British
legation, to Mr. Blaine at Bar Harbor. Au-
gust "a, 1889, complaining that the United
States cruisers have seized British vessels
In Behring sea outside the three mile limit
and requesting by direction of Marquis
Salisbury that stringent orders be issued to
prevent such course
Mr.. Blaine replied on August "a, 1889, that
the United States Government desires to
have such an adjustment of the question
which Will remove Misunderstanding but
that the President believes that the respon-
sibility for del y in the adjustment can not
be properly charged tn the United States
Government. He requests that Mr.. Ed
wards express the satisfaction OF the
United States Government that Sir John
Pauncefote will he ready on his return TO
discuss the win lie question.
letter from the Marquis OF Salisbury to
Mr.. Edwards, dated October 2, 1889. states
that the British Government realizes the
importance of an International agreement
between the United States, Great Britain
and Russia on the subject, and says Paunce-
fote will be furnls led the requisite instruc-
tions in case the Secretary of state desires
disp Itch of the same date he calseattention
to the seizure of the British sealers by
I'm ted States vessels outside of the three
mi limit. and says that Secretary Bayard
Stat ID unoflic ally that n O further seizures of
this character would be carried on pending
the discussion and expresses regret That this
understanding has not been carried out He
closes by protest of The Government and
expresses the opinion of the Government
that the were wholly unjustifia ble
Mr.. Edwards says of the assurance re-
fcrred'to above by Lord Salisbury that it
was an assurance commune ated un officially
to his Lordship by the United States Minis
ter in London AMI also by Mr.. Bayard to Sir
Lionel West in the month Of April, 1883.
In a lon, letter, January ], 1890, Mr. Blaine
goes into discussion Of the general subject,
stating that the United States Government
The east. the A!euts of Alaska and the
Russian Government on the west of Behr-
ing have until 1864 exercised the un-
questioned right to take seals in the Behr-
ing sea- He says it was a case Of surprise
to the United States thai the British Govern
mert should interfere to defend the Cana
dian vessels in attempting to take seals in
Behring sea. and says: "Whence did the
ships Of Canada derive the right to do in
1886 what they had refrained from do
wnat ground did her Majesty's Gov
eminent defend in 1856 o. course
in Behring sea which she had care
fully avoided ever since this discovery Of
that sea? BY what reasoning did her Maj
esty's Government conclude that an act may
be committed with impunity against the
rights of the United States which had never
been attempted against the same rights
when he d by the Russian Government"
After long statement of the damage 90
fur seals which has followed the incursions
of the British sealing vessels in the sea, he
says: 1.-THE President does not conceive that
her Majesty's Go. erIIment could in fact be
less indifferent to those results tha2e is the
%<~f D,xfte III,
hopes that her Maiesty's Government villa
after this frank expression of views,
readily comprehend the position of the
United state, touching this serious question
This Covers ment has been ready to concede
much in order to adjust all differences OF
views and in the Judgment of the President
had already piopt sed .utiOn NEG only
equitable but generous. Thug far her
Majesty's Government has declined to ac-
cept the proposal of the United States. The
President now awaits with deep interest,
not unmiXed with solicitude, any PROPOSE
tfon for reasonable adjustment which her
MajeSty'S Governm .Et may submit.
On February 10, 1890, Sir Julian Pauncefote
says in letter to hr. Blaine that the British
Government is now ready to resume the tri-
partite negotiations respecting the estab-
lishment of close time for the seal fish
cries. which was commenced in 1883 but sus-
pended for various causes, and suggests
that the negotiations be resumed in Wash
in ItOn.
The next communication is from Sir Julian
Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine and is marked
Received April 30, $780," Indicating that
meantime the negotiations had been in
progress. 1t begins by saying: cat the last
sitting of the conference on the Behring's
sea fl sheries is expressed doubt whether any
arrangement could be arrived at which
would be satisfactory to CanadL' He thus
proposed that mixed commission be
agreed upon to cons ider the whole question
and sealing be suspended in Behring sea
TAI indS In ho- 1f,rt< <,f
that commission.
In u letter dated May % 1890, Salisbury re-
plies to the arguments of Blaine in regard
to the claim of exclusive rights tNBehring
sea He denies this claim and holds that
Great Britain has always maintained when
questions arose the right to take seal in
Behring sea, and, quoting q statement by
Mr. Blaine that the Pr idcnt believes all
friendly nations will concede to the United
States the same rights which were formerly
conceded to Rus ia in this matter, says
Her Maf.stySs Government will have no
difficulty in making such a concession. The
rights they have demanded have been those
of free navigation and fishing in waters
which previous to their own acquisition of
Alaska, the United States declared to be free
and omen to all foreign vessels
On May g. 1881, Sir Julian Pauncefote in
letter co Mr.. Blaine calls attention to news
paper reports that the United States cruis-
ers have been instructed to prevent foreign
vessels enterin" upon seal fisheries in nom
n
s;ru ted by the Marquis of Salisbury to
state to you that q formal protest by her
Maiesty's Government against any such in
reference with Britt h vess is will be for
warded to you without delay
To this Mr.. Blaine. on May 20 replies N a
long ccmmunicat on, in which he says: "Jn
turn 1 am Instructed by the President to pro-
test sga INST the cOur or the British Gov
eminent in authorizing, encouraging and
protecting vessels which are not oaly inter
ferng with American rights in the Behring
sen, but doing vi lence the rights of the
civilized world" lie says tnat the President
is surprised at the protest of the
British since Lord Salisbury, on No.
vcihber II, 1887, in an Official
Interview with the United States Minister
Phelps, cordially agreed that a code for the
preservation ofthe seals should be adopted
and suggested that Minister Phelps should
present a system OF regulations, which was
done. and On February % Mr. Phelps mott
ned Secretary Bayard that Lord Salisbury
assents to Incorporation to establish q
close time for fur seals between April Is and
November /. and between l6O to 10 degrees
Of longitude, and will cause an act to be
introduced in PARLIAMENT to give effect to
this arrangement. He adds that on the fol-
lowing April Is the American charge at
London was instructed that this plan would
De perfected by an order in council I'VE days
later; however. on April Is. the charge was
informed that no action would be taken
until Canada is heard from, and for several
weeks no further information could ho had
the subject He IN ,Ilv <ol1 -, :,