The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-24


control Of morals In this respect which Is
claimed Tor The United ststss - resards seal
hunting But her majesty's government muse
question whether this pursuit can tteed Be -
garded a. contrd bonos mores unless and until.
for special reasons. Is has been agreed By inter
national agreement 70 forbid II Fur seals are
fndiBputAbly animals fs5E ndfnrx, and have unt-
veFsaily been regarded 81 jurfsts - res nHiitas
until caught No persons therefore can have
property il fhem until he has actually reduced
them to possession By capture. II requires some
thing more than mere declaration that the
government or citizens Of the United States. or
even other countries interested In the D al
trade, m losers BY . certain course OF proceed
ure TO render that course IN immoral one Her
msjesty's government deeply regrets that the
pursuit Of fnr seals on the high seas By British
vessels should involve even the slightest injury
70 the people OF the United ateA II the case
be proven they win be ready to consider what
measures can be properly taken to remedy such
injury, bat they would be unable on that ground
to depart from the principle on which free
commerce on the high seas depends.
Respecting Bla:ne's statement regarding
the great monopoly enjoyed By Russia. the
marquis quotes from Quincy Adams's let
ter to the United States minister in Russia.
which nation in 1921 prohibited all foreign
vessels from approaching within three
miles from the coast Of Behring straits.
ffty-first degree of north latitude, to the
effect that the United States could admit
no part Of these claims. He also cites the
case of the United States brig Lariat to
show the right OF fishing thus asserted, in
GLIDING the right Of killing fur-bearing AMI
mails. The brig was forced by an armed
Russian naval vessel to leave the waters.
He also argues that from speech OF Sum-
ner when introducing the case of the pur-
chase Of Alaska to congress it is equally
clear that the United States government
did not regard themselves as purchasing a
monopoly. Having dealt with the fur
bearing animals, he went on to treat of the
fisheries. and after alluding to the presence
OF different species OF whales in the vicinity
Of the AIeutian islands, said: No sea is
now saa,s cIausum. All of the sea may be
pursued by ship under any flag except
directly on the coast or within Its terri
torial limit
The marquis also says that Blaine must
have been misiniormed respecting the un-
interrupted possession OF the United States
from 1867 to 1886, and submits extracts
from reports of United States officers to
show that during that time British vessels
were engaged at intervals in the fur-seal
States government. He further states that
whalers have not heretofore engaged in
sealing because of lack of time. and finds 1t
unnecessary TO deal with the question of
extinction Of the seal through pelagic seal
ing, as it's proposed to examine the subject
by q committee appointed by the two gev-
ernments. He admits thatif all such seal
ing is stopped seals would multiply at a
moro extraordinary rate than at present,
but cannot admit this to be sufficient
ground to justify the United States in
forcibiy depriving other nations of share
OF this industry in waters which by the
recognized law of nations are now free to
the world.
The next letter of the series is from the
British minister to Blaine. May %. The
minister says that as the secretary has con-
frmed the newspaper statements that
revenue cutters have been ordered to Beh-
ring sea to seize foreign sealers he is in
structed to say that formal protest against
such interference with British vessels will
be forwarded without delay.
Blaine's response. three days later. way
more brief, being simple acknowledg-
ment of the receipts of the letter.
Later, however, on the 18th, he wrote
Sir Julian that in turn he is instructed by
the president to protest against the course
OF the British government in authorizing
encouraging and protecting vessels which
are not only interfering with American
rights in Behring sea. but which are doing
violence a. well TO the rights of the civil
lied world.
The president. he says. is surprised that
such q protest should be authorized by
Lord salisbury, especially because previous
declarations of his lordship would seem to
render 1t impossible. The secretary then
rapidly sketches the history of the negotia-
tons under the previous administration,
and says:
You viii observe that from the 18th of Novem-
ber 1857, to the 18th OF April, 1883, Lord Sails
bury had In every form of speech assented to
the necessity of close season for the protection
OF seals These assurances were given TO the
American minister, to the American charge
d'affairs, to the Russian ambassador. and on
more than one occasion to two OF them together
The United States had no reason. therefore, to
doubt that the whole dispute touching the seal
fisheries was practically settled.
Continuing, Secretary Blaine says that
five days after that assurance Lord Sails
bury said that neither an act of parliament
nor an order in council could be drafted
until Canada was heard from. Mr.. Phelps,
in his dispatch of September IL, reported
that His lordship stated that the Cana
dian government objected to any such re-
stric,ions. and until its consent should be
obtained her maJesty's government was
not willing to enter into convention"
Saws the secretary:
The government cannot but feel that Lord
Salisbury would have dealt more frankly in the
beginning had he informed Minister Phelps
The British government would assuredly and
rightfully complain il an agreement between
her representative Apd the representative of
the United States should without notice be
broken or by the United States. on the ground
that the state of California was not willing 1t
should be completed.
In conclusion, he proposed, in behalf of
the president. that her majesty's govern
ment should agree not to permit vessels to
enter Behring sea this season, in order that
time may be secured for negotiations that
shall not be disturbed by untoward events,
or unduly influenced by popular agitation.
On June the secretary writes Sir Julian
that the president believes arbitration cam
not be concluded in time for this season,
and suggests that Lord Salisbury make for
asingIe season the regulation which in 1883
he offered TO make permanent, as step
which would certainly lead to a friendly
agreement
To this the minister replies June that
further examination of the questions has
satisfied his lordship that such extreme
measures as that proposed in 1888 would 20
far beyond the requirements of the case.
There would be no legal power to enforce
the observance Of such an agreement on
British vessels.
Secretary Blaine, replying June 4, says