Omaha daily bee., 1890-07-24
IS 1T CONTRA BONOS lORES z
The Question is Discussed by Great Britain
and the United States.
SECRETARY BLAINE ExONERATtD,
The Docum ,nts to- Prove II Sent TO
the House ofRcpr. scntativcs
An about the Seal
Fisheries.

WAsuINGToS, July % The presdonttoday
sent to the house of representatives in
answer to q resolution introduced by Repre-
sentative Hit the official correspondence b0-
tween the government of the United states
and the government of Great Britain touch
| ing on the seal fisheries ofothe Bchring sea.
In his accompanying letter transmitted TO
| the president Secretary Blaine under dato
of Bar Harbor, July 10 regrets the delay in
| the transmission which the president di-
rcctcd on the llth inst, and says
| that the correspondence is still in
progress The correspondence includes
thirty separate papers, beginning with let
ter from Edwards, the first secretary of tho
legation and charge d2dars after Minister
Vests recall, dated August o. 1850, and
closing with one from Secretary Blaine to
Sir Julian pauncCfotc, the British minister,
dated July 49, 1890.
In his first letter Edwards refers TO the re-
ported search and seizure of British vessels
in Bchring and under instructions OK
Marquis Salisbury that stringent instruc-
tions be sent by the United States at the
earliest moment to their officers to prevent n
recurrence of such events. The letter also
refers to the fact that Bayard when sccre-
taly of state had assured Great Britain that
pending u settlement, no further inter-
ference with BRUSH NtSSeS SnOulu ldho
place. Mr. Blaine replied that it was tho
earnest desire of the president to come to
satisfactory understanding and expressed
the belief that all the points at issue were
capable of prompt adjustment The cores
pondence between Mr. Edmuuds and Sccre-
,ary Blaine was continued at some length,
and it appears that Mr.. Blaine inquired what
authority there was for the above stated as
surancc of MIR. Bayard. Mr.. Edwards said
that it was an assurance communicated unof-
fcially by the United States ministerin in Lon
don and also by MIR. Bayard to Minister
West in lSSS.
The correspondence between Secretary
Blaine and the new British minister COM
mcnced January ,? of this year with very
long letter from the secretary to Sir
: Julian Pauncefortc' In this letter letter
Mr.. Blaine goes over the Whole
question, and says it is the opinion of the
, president that the vessels arrested wore en-
1 gagged in a pursuit that was in itself contra
; bonos moris Mr.. Blaine contended that
j ever since this government acquired rights in
i Bchring sea she maintained undisturbed
r possession until 1856, and that these rights
, She and Russia had established and enjoyed
II for nearly u century. In 1856, the secretary
Y said certain Canadian vCss is asserted their
It rights to enter and by thor ruthless course
$ TO destroy the fisheries,
The government of the United States at
once proceeded to check this movement,
which unchecked was sire TO do great and
% irrep arabic hGrm.
|. Regarding England's claim that the seiz-
>. ures were made on the high seas, Mr. Blaine
W saws it is doubtful whether her majcsty's
o. government would abide by this rule If an
le attempt were made to Interfere with
ID the pearl fisheries OF Ceylon, which extend
m moro than twenty miles from the sho"c limo
No and have been enjoyed by England with
+ out molestation ever since their acquisition
~ On February 10 the British minister wrote
ltt,fr 70 don't N
in suggestion made in the course OF their inter-
Il views that the tripartite negotiation sus-
pended in London in 1855 be resumed in
no Washington and recommends to mis- govern
~ ment certain provisional measures to remove
a. any apprehension of the depletion of the seal.
sc Lord. Salisbury, under date OF May - last
1d replies to Mr.. Blaincs arguments.
oe Relative to the statement that the seizures
ty were justified by the fact that they were en-
y gagged in pursuit that is in itself contra
IT. mores-a pursuit which of necessity involves
'st serious and permanent injury to the rights OF
ms the government and people of the United
he | States the marquis says:
- at is obvious that two questions are in
volved, first whether the pursuit and killing
of fur seals in certain parts of the open sea Is,
tn from the point of view OF international moral
W ity an offensc, contra bopos moles and sec
ondly whether if such be the case this fact
lc- iustilied the seizure on the high seas and the
St. subsequent coniiscation in Il time of peace o1
sh private vessels of friendly nation.
St '"rhe pursuit of seals in the open sea under
at whatever circumstances has never hitherto
m been considered rs piracy by civilized state
ok Fur seals are indisputlbly animals fcra,
= nuturae and they universally have been re
garded by jurists as res nulens until they
are caught. No person, therefore, can have
he property in them until he has actually re-
ar duced them into possession by capture. L
ur- requires something more than declaration
av that the government or cluZens OF th
its | United States, or even countries, interested
nn | in the seal trade are losers 10y certain
Ill course of proceedings to render that cours
an immoral one.
regret the pI suit of fur seals in the higl
seas by British vessels should IT involve eve
a. the slightest injury to the people of tn
United States. If the case be proved, the
~, will be ready TO consider what measures ca
-" be properly taken fOr the remedy of such in
ing jury but they would bcunable on that grount
so to depart from the principle on which fire.
ycd commerce on the high seas depends
the Respecting Mr.. Blaincs statements of th
= exclusive monopoly enjoyed by Prussia, th
marquis quotes from the letter to the Unite
dh- States minister in Russia, which nation /
1921 prohibited ali foreign vessels from al
my proachng within 100 miles from the coast {
scs the Bchriug straits to the Dist dcsre
zee north latitude, to the effect that the Unite
hat States could admit no part of these claim
lhe The marquis also says Mr.. Blaine mu!
as have been misin formed respecting the uni
loW terrupted possession by the United Stat'
ers from 1867 to 1886, and suhiuits extracts fro
ID reports of United States & Ci1iGGr3 To show thi
ere during that time British vessels were e
un- gagged at intervals in fur seal fisheries vii
has the cognizance of the United States COVER
pne ment.
IN The next letter i'm the series Is from u
10 British minister to Mr.. Blaine, under date
fur Afnv 93 and saws as the secretary has co
huS frmed nelysnaper statements that the rcycnl
on cutters had been ordered to Bchrng sea
are seize foreign scalcrs lac is instructed to say
ook formal protest against such Interference wit
British vessels will be forwarded wtho
lers delay.
not Sncrotarv Rlaine on the 2Qth wrote 6
Juu Inlinn thnf he IA IN srnft ed nv the Drcs ide
10 protest against the course OF the Briti'
lcin government in authorizing, encouraging al
Ola protecting vessels which are not only intt
hey fcrinr with American RIGHTS i'm BehrinQ Sc
Y but which are doing violence TO the rights
as. well of the civilized world.
e of Thn nresident ne savs Is surprised tn
lact such protest should be authorized by Lo
er5 Salisbury, especially because the preyio
hold dcrinraiiou of his iordship would seem
'ecJ' render IL impossible.
eng The secretary then rapidly sketches the h
rikG tory OF the negotiations under the previo
NptNR