Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-08-07

ABOUT tine middle or August, 1887, Sec
rotary Bayard addressed to the ministers
of the United States to Great Britain,
Russia. Sweden and Norway, Japan,
Trance and Germany the following letter
OF instructions:
SIR: Recent occurrences have drawn the
attention Of this Department to The usees.
eity OF taking steps forthe bstter probation
OF the fur-seal fisheries In Behring SEA-.
without raising any question as to the
exceptional measures which the peeulinr
character OF the property In question might
jnstliy this government In taking, Hni with
out reference TO any exceptional marine
jurisdiction that might properly be- claimed
FOR lat end, 1t is daemei advisaDle-and /
am instructed by the President so 10 In.
form you-to attain ths desired ends by
International Cooperation,
II Ia well known that the unraRulated
and indiscriminate killing OF seals In mauy
parts OF the world mas driven them from
place 70 place, and, by breaking up their
naoltual resorts, has greatly reduced their
number.
Under these circumstances, and In view
OF the common interest OF all nations "a
preventing the tndiscriminats destruction
and consequent determination of an ami.
maj which contributes so Importantly to the
commercial wealth and general use OF man
kindi yor are hereby instructed to draw
the attention OF the Government to whteh
you are accredited to the subIact. and to
invite IL 70 enter into such an Brrangement
Will the Government OF the United States
rs Will prevent the citizens Of either country
from killing seal In Behring Sea at such
Times aud phases, and by such methods "a
Ut present are pursued, and which threaten
the speedy determination OF those animals
and consequent serious loss to mankin1,
Favorable responses soon began to come
IN from the governments addressed. ON
October 22d, Minister McI!aue notified
Mr.. Bayard Of the Willingness Of the
French republic to consider fayoeAbly
any project of international agreement
~ Etsht be disposed to submit.
Or November 18th, Minister Phelps
wrote from London that he had, in an
interview with Lord Salisbury, Sub.
mitted the proposition and that mis-
lordship promptly acquiesoed in this
proposal on the part Of Great Britain
and suggested that should OBTAIN from
my government and submit h him
sketch of System OF regulations waioh
would be adequate for the purposen
On October 24th favorable response
was received from Japan, and few days
later, request from that government
that the arrangement bs extended 90 81
to apply also to the sea otter snd to en-.
large the protected zone so n 10 take il
the habitat o; that animal.
On November 25tn III. do C3iers, Ru9-
sian Minister 0, Foreign AfFAlFq. wrote
on behalf Of his gogsrnment: ',Ws oon.
cur entirely in Inc views OF the Gov rb-
ment Of the United States. Like II We
also have been for long time considering
Whist means can be taken to ram9dy 4
state of things which ia pfeiuiiciai not
only to commerce aud revenue, but which
will not long delay to work disas.rous
results, mot only to the well.bsinp bnt
even to the existence OF our people il the
extreme northeast. The establishment
OF 3 reasonable rule, and Of a lawful sge.
tenn in the use o. the resources. whoh
furnish their only industry, is for these
people of Vita importance. The presg-
ing interest which the imperial govern.
ment has oeen thus called to consider
had already suggested to it tho idea II
IN international agreement, By which
this interest might find its most eff siapt
protection. It is By this way that the
different questions involved ON be- b5ss
resolved, and among whicb there exists,
in our option, close connection
Upon thia encouraging reception Of his
proportion BY the powers most imme.
diately interested Great Britain, with
hNF Canadian interests and her stake in
the preservation Of On industry which
furnishes employment to 10000 opera.
tiyfs in Loadon; Russia, with her seal
islands in tbs western part of Bahriny
ses and in the Saa OF Oknota5; JapAa,
with the KuriIa IlIanjs ,ago.tn1