The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1890-08-01
BEHRING SEA. TROUBLES
Voluminous Correspondence laid
Before the House..
The Question Assumes n Serious Aspec.
This Objections OF Canada stetard NJ.
gOtIations sscres%r5 Blaine w..
Plain Language.

Hh
British Government touching the BehrIny
sea negotiations was laid before the Honse
yesterday afternoon 1t is extremely vol
luminous, covering many hundreds of naoea
of typewriter manuscript 1t is accompa-
MED by a note from the Secretary of STATE
which states that the negotiations are still
in progress
The correspondence consists of thirty let.
tiers and kilograms. 1t begins with a letter
from Mr.. Edwards. Secretary of the Rritish
legation. to Mr. Blaine at bar Harbor An
gust "a, 1883. complaining that the United
States cruisers have seized British vessels
In Behrtng sea outside the three mile limit
and requesting by direction of MARQUIS
Salisbury that stringent orders be issued TO
prevent such a course.
Mr.. Blaine replied on August "a, 1859. that
the United States Government desire, to
have such an adjustment of the question
which will remove Misunderstanding but
that the President believes that the respon-
sibility for delay In the adjustment can not
be properly charged to the United States
Government. He requests that Mr. Ed
wards express the satisfaction of the
United States Government that Sir John
Pauncefote will be ready on his return 10
discuss the whole question.
letter from the Marquis of Salisbury to
Mr. Edwards, dated october ?, 1883. 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-
tote Will De Iurnl8ne0 the requisite lnStruc
lions in case the Secretary OF State desires
to enter upon the discussion In another
dispatch of the same date he calls attention
to the seizure of the British sealers by
United States vessels outside of the three
mile limit, and says that Secretary Bayard
stated unofficialIy tn at 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 @; vernment
that the seizures were wholly unjustifable.
MFR. Edwards says of the assurance
ferred to above by Lord Salisbury that it
was an assurance commu n catedunoff icIally
to his Lordship by the United States Minis
ter in London and also by Mr.. Bayard to Fir
Lionel West in the month of April 1889
In a long letter, January l. $780, Mr. Blaine
goes into a discussion of the general subject,
stating that the United States Government
on the east, the Aleuts OF Alaska and the
Russian Government on the west of Behr-
ing sea have until 1864 exercised the UNI
questioned right to take seals In the Behr-
ing sea- He says 1t was case of surprise
to the United States that the British Govern
ment should interfere to defend the Cana
dian vessels in attempting to take seals in
Behrtng sea. and says: "Whenee did the
ships of Canada derive the right to do In
1885 what they had refrained from do
ing for nearly ninety yearsp Up IN
what ground did her Majesty's Gov
eminent defend in 1886 course
in Behrlng sea which she had care
fully avoided ever since tbs discovery Cf
that scar 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 sano rights
when held by the Russian Government"
After a long statement of the damage to
fur seals which has followed the ihcursIOns
of the British sealing vessels in the sea, he
says: "The President does not conceive that
her Matesty's Government could in fact be
less indifferent to those results than is the
Government OF the United States But he
hopes that her Msjesty's Government will,
after this frank expression OF views,
readily comprehend the position of the
United States touching this serious question.
This Government has been re 'dy to concede
much in order to adjust all differences OF
views and in the Judgment of tn President
had already proposed a so ution not only
equitable but generous. Thus 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
tion for reasonable adjustment which her
Ma1esty's Government may submit.
On February 10, 1890, Sir Julian Pauncefote
says in a letter to STR Blaine that the British
Government is now ready to resume the tri-
partite negotiations respecting the estab-
iishment of a close time for the seal fish
cries, which was commenced in 1888 but sus-
pended for various causes, and suggests
that the negotiations be resumed in Wash
ingtOn.
The next communication is from Sir Julian
Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine, and is marked,
Received April 80. $780," Indicating that
meantime the negotiations had been in
progress. 1t begins by saying: AT the last
sitting of the conference on the Behring's
sea fisheries Is expressed doubt whether any
Arrangement could be arrived at which
would be satisfactory to Canada" He thus
proposed that mixed commission be
and sealing be suspended in Behring sea
during Ger tain periods pending the work of
that commission.
In a letter dated May 22 1890, Salisbury re-
plies 10 the arguments of Blaine in regard
10 the claim of exclusive rights to Behring
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 a statement by
AiF. Blaine that the President believes all
friendly nations will concede to the United
states the same rights which were formerly
conceded to Russia in this matter, says:
Her Ma1esty's Government will have no
cifficulty in making such a concession. The
lights 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 open to all foreign vessels"
On May q. 1890, Sir Julian Pauncefote in a
latter to Mr.. Blaine calls attention to news
paper reports that the United States cruis-
ers have been instructed to prevent foreign
vessels entering upon seal fisheries In non
territorial waters, and says: 81 am in
stru6 ted by the Marquis of Salisbury to
state to you that a formal protest by her
Majesty's Government against any such in
reference with British vessels will be for
warded to you without delay"
To this Mr. Blaine, on May %. replies in a
long communicat on, in which he says: "In
turn am instructed by the President to pro-
est against the cOur-e of the British Gov
emf in anfhnriZffU nd
protecting vessels which are not only inter-
fering with American rights in the Behring
sea, but doing viz lence t the rights of the
civilized world" He says that the President
British since Lord Salisbury, on No
vember IL, 1887, in official
interview with the United States Minister,
Phelps, cordially agreed that a code for the
preservation of the seals should be adopted
and suggested that Minister Phelps should
present system of regulations, which was
dom. and on February % Mr.. Phelps mott
fed Secretary Bayard that Lord Salisbury
assents to the proposition to establish a
close time for fur seals between April Is and
November and between l6o to 10 degrees
of longitude, al d will cause an act to be
introduced in p 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
be perfected by an order in council i've days
later; however. on April Is the charge was
informed that TO action would be taken
until Canada is heard FROM and for several
weeks no further information cou' d be had
on the subject He was finally told tn the
Canadian Government objected to any such
restrictions and until her consent could be
had the British Government was not willing
to go Into the convention
Mr.. blaine adds: .Can the Government OF
the United States be expected to accept as
mai decision of the Government of Great
Britain that an agreement can not be full
nlled because Canada objects? The change
OF policy would be by her Majesty's Govern
ment without notice and against the wish of
TINS Government. as, in the Presidents be-
hefs because OF all the differences that have
fnlInyzed -