Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-12

or the United states OF her claims alb
soiute sovereignty over the disputed archi-
pelago. But about the same time Congress
had passed a law forbidding the catching of
seals within the dominion of the United States
in Behring sea except by persons authorized
by the United States government, namely, the
American Commercial Company. President
Harrison also issued q proclamation in which,
after reviewing the new law. he warned all per-
sons from entering the waters of Behring sea
within the dominion of the United States for
the purpose OF violating the provisions of said
Section 1866, Revised Statutes" under penalty
OF arrest and confscation of property.
ESGLAND's CLAIMS.
England bases her case on the argument that
America derived all her rights from Russia by
purchase and whatever rights Russia possessed
belong to this country now, but no more. The
Engnsn representatives. it seems, take the
ground that the well-defined international
limit OF three miles cannot be increased by any
law passed by the government of one country,
and that this limit cannot be so extended "a to
take In the whole Of vast open sea.
CLOSED SEA.
In international law closed sea or mare
clausum is usually understood to mean body
OF water surrounded by the territory Of one
power or so nearly surrounded that the water
entrance to 1t can be protected from either
shore. 1t Is maintained that Behring sea can
not be closed sea. inasmuch as two nations
border upon 1t, the dividing line between the
Two oelng only an imaginary one nearly a
thousand miles in length, while the sea itself
has one entrance from the Pacific ocean proper
as wide as the distance from Cape Hatteras to
New York. This government holds to the the
DRY, 1t is said that Russia ceded to the United
States In the treaty of 1867 all the rights which
she then claimed as her own in the eastern part
OF the archipelago-rights precisely similar to
those whlch she still maintains in the western
part. 1t was understood by that treaty that
the united states government has exclusive
OF the treaty boundary from the starting point
IN Behring strait to the Aleutian chain off Alto
Island, and that the Russian government has
jurisdiction and dominion west Of the same
line"
1t is claimed by those who hold the s'closed
sea theory" that the line of the demarcation
between the two nations running from Cape
Prince OF Wales to the Alentian Islands suffices
to make mare clausum of the western half of
behrlng sea- However this may be it is GER
tam that Kussia.s claim to supreme authority
over the North Pacific was questioned and de-
MED almost seventy years ago.
THE NORTH PACIFIC
In the early part of this century the region
around the North Pacific was regarded by all
the civilized world as a bowling wilderness
peopled only by blood-thirsty savages, and in
every way anything but desirable territory,
The claim of Russia to sovereignty based upon
original discovery was by SOME put at IS de-
grees north latitude, while others held that the
explorations of Capt. Alexis Chirikoff in 174I
placed the true boundary between the paraI-
lels OF 4S degrees and 40 degrees.
This latter claim, however, was yir-
tually abandoned in the convention
between the United States and Russia in April.
1874. IT is generally admitted now that in the
early DISCUSSIONS about boundaries the various
nations were more concerned in the principles
that were involved than they were about the
question OF getting territory that they all con-
sldered worthless, except for its fur trade
When the matter of territory was involved il
became question of latitude rather than of
an area OF continent or any particular group of
Islands. The car and many of the court family
OF Russia were interested in the Russian Ameri-
can Company and Russia realized more fully
than any other nation the value Of the fur trade
on the coast. In his. desire to monopolize all
this fur trade and the attending commerce and
trade OF various sorts the car in 1921
issued uksse claiming full control over
the whole of the North Pacific and
forb,dding all other nations to so much a.
think OF enjoying any Of the trade on that por-
ton OF the earth's surface. This was at once
met with an indignant protest from Great
Britain and the United States and it was urged
that such claim was absurd and entirely in
admissible IN international law. Spain also
protested, but with her it was more a matter of
principle than interest, as she had no real
trade in that part Of the country. The case was
different with this country, however, for we
mad already built up quite prosperous trade
with the stations in the North Pacific and Bos-
ton, especially, was doing first rate business
then with that section of the world
RUssIAs BAcKDowN.
1t has been said that inasmuch as the citizens
Of the United States were the first to explore
and establish trade in many parts of the region,
and an English officer the first to chart greater
part OF it, and as both had traded with
little molestation on the coast for more than
thirty years, 1T was intolerable that such ques-
ton should be treated by ukase and settled by
the edct Of but one Of the parties concerned.
Mr.. Plerce's administration was decidedly
active in Directing to this way of disposing of
the matter. England, believing the United
States had a leaning toward the Russian side
OF the question, decided not to join with us in
prosecuting the matter. CONSEQUENTLY the first
convention held was between the United States
and Russia in 1924, aud in the treaty that re-
suited from 1t Russia completely withdrew
from the untenable position she had occupied.
For period OF ten years the fur trade was free
to all parties. Like concessions were made to
England In treaty about year later, and all
that Russia ever received in return for this was
the admission OF her sovereignty along the
coast to the parallel Of $40 40.
BRITISH VIEW.
In letter which Lord Salisbury wrote To
the British minister at Washington, September
10, 1887, commenting upon the results of the
treaties, he said:
1.-The convention between the United States
OF America and Russia of April II, 1924, put an
end to any further pretension on the part of
Russia to restrict navigation or fishing in Beh-
ring sea. SO far as American citizens were con-
cerned, for, by article l, 1t was agreed that in
any part OF the great ocean commonly called
the Pacific ocean or South sea the respective
citizens or subjects Of the high contracting
powers shall neither be disturbed nor restrained
either in navigation or fishing, and similar
stipulation in the convention between this coun-
try (England) and Russia in the following wear
MAY 10. 1920 put an end, as regarded British
subjects, to the pretensions of Russia and which
had been entirely repudlated by her majesty's
government in correspondence with the Russian
government in 1921 and 1922"
THE PURCHASE OF ALASKA
In 1867 Secretary Seward opened negotia-
tions for the purchase of Alaska, the result of
which was that Russia ceded all her claims to
that territory for 81 500 600 Since that time
the question Of the sovereignty over the waters
has never been seriously mooted until COM
paratively recently. Within the last ten years
the extinction of the sea otter has been COM
plete and number of fishermen thereupon set
to work to kill seal in open water. With the
aid Of improved modern weapons this was soon
found to be not only possible but a decidedly
lucrative occupation. As a natural rexult n