The Globe-republican., 1890-07-30
BEHRING SEA TROUBLES
vohminous Correspondence Laid
Before the House.
-zAe Question Assumes q Serious Aspect
The Objections of Canada Ketard Nc
Sotiations Secretary Blaine Uses
Plain Language.

WASHINGTON. July 2i-The correspond
-ence between the State Department and iht
Brit sh Government touching the Behrins
sea negotiations was laid before the House
yesterday afternoon. 1t is extremely vol
nu1inous, covering many hundr, DIS OF pages
at typewritten manuscript 1t Is accompa
u1ed by note from the Secretary OF State
which states that the negotiations are still
IN progress.
The CORES pondence consists OF thirty let.
tiers and kilograms. 1T begins with letter
from Mr.. Edwa ards. Secretary of the British
legation, to Mr. Blaine at bar HarbOr. Au
-,ztIst "a, 1883, complaining that the United
states cruisers have seiZel British vessels
On Behring 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 n. 1889, that
the United States Government desires to
e1ave such an adjustment OF the question
which Will remove misunderstanding but
shat the President believes that the respon-
.ibiiity for del in the adjustment can not
'oe properly charged t. tho United States
1sCvrrnm He requests that Mr.. Ed
wards express the satisfaction OF the
United States Government that Sir John
Pzuncefote will be rea ~ On his return 10
discuss the VIII lie quest on.
n
Mr. Edwards, dated October 2, 1853 states
- that the British Government realizes the
Importance of an international agreement
between the United States, Great Britain
and Russia on the subject. AMI says Pauncc-
tote will be furnis led the requisite instruc
lions in case the Secretary of State desires
to enter upon the discussion. In another
, dispatch of the same date he calls attention
ito the seizure of the British sealers by
Un tied States vessels outside of the three
mile limit. and says that Secretary Bayard
etst ID unoffic ally that % further seizures of
I'll is character would be carried on pending
the discussion and expresses regret that this
closes by protest Of the Government and
expresses the opinion OF tho Government
that the sc IN cs were wholly unjustifablc.
Mr.. Edwards says Of the assurance re-
rcrred to above by Lord Salisbury TINT It
vas an assurance communicated un officially
TO his Lordship by the United States Minis
ter in London and also by Mr.. Bayard to cir
1ionei West in the month of April. 1889
In a long letter, January I. 1890. MIR. Blaine
goes into 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 un-
questioned right to take seals In the Behr-
Ing sea. He says it was a case of surprise
anent should interfere to defend the Cana
d an vessels in attempting to take seals in
Behring sch. and SAWS: ''Whence did the
ships Of Canada derive the right to do in
1856 what they had RETAINED from do
ing for nearly ninety years2 Up
what ground did her Mnjesty's Gov
ernment defend in 1886 course
en- Behrirg sea which she had care
TulIy avoided ever since tn discovery If
that sea? BY what reasoning did her Maj
esiy's Government conclude that an act may
be comc,iitci with IMMUNITY against the
rights of the United States which had never
been attempted against tho same rights
when he d by the Russian Government"
After a long statement of the damage to
sur seals which has followed the incursions
Of the British sealing vessels in the sea. he
says. The President does not onceive that
her Najesty's Government could in fact be
less Indifferent to those results than is the
Government of the United States But ne
hopes that her Majesty's Government will,
sitter this frank expression of views.
readily comprehend the position of the
United state touching tn is serious question.
This Government hiss been &c dy to concede
much in order to adjust all differences Of
- Jews and in the judgment of tn PRESIDENT
had already plopt sed a 80 ution not only
sa7u table but generous. Thus far her
Majestys Government has dec ined to ac-
cept the proposal of the United stats. The
4seigient now awaits with deep interest,
not rmmixed with solicitude, any PROPOSE
lion for reasonable adjustment which her
Majesty's Government NAV submit.
On Feb: uary 10, 1890. Sir Julian fauncefote
says in a letter TO ar. Blaine that the British
GoYernm emit is now ready to csume the tri-
1srufe negotiations respecting the es! alb
lishment of a close time for the seal fish
cries, which was commenced in 1885 but sus
Nd .f,
CHAT the negotiations be resumed in wash
inyton.
The next communication is from Sir Julian
Tauncefote to Mr. Blaine, snd is marked.
Received April 80. 1892" indicating that
meantime the negotiations had been ia
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 n mixed commission be.
agreed upon to cons ider the whole question
aud sealing be suspended In Behrins sea
during certain periods pending the work OF
that commission.
III letter dated May p 1890. Salisbury re-
plies TO the arguments OF Blaine In regard
60 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
Bet,r ing sea, and, quoting a statement by
Mr.. Blaine that the President believes all
criend,y nations will concede to the United
States the same rights which were formerly
. conceded to Russia in this matter. says:
t'Her Majesty's Government will have no
: difficulty in making such a concession. The
rights they have demanded have been those
q. of free navigation and fishing ia waters
Itch previous to their own acquisition of
Alaska. the United States declared to be free
land orcn to all foreign vessels"
On May %. 1899. Sir Julian PauUcefote in a
lcrter to Mr.. Blaine calis 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. aud say.: Il am in.
.stru, ted by the Marquis Of Salisbury to
'srate to you that formal protest by her
Aajcsty's Government against amy sach in =
Herfcrencc with Briti.h vcsseas will be for
'watded to you without delay"
To this Mr. Blaine. on May r. replies in a
long communicst on. in which he says: I'm
Hturn am instructed by the President to pro-
test against the cour-e OF the British Gov
erament in authorizing. encouraging and
protecting vessels which are not only inter.
sfering with American rights in the Behrine
sen, but doing violence ( the rights of the
-eiviliscd world" He says that the Prcsiden,
II surprised at the protest OF the
British since Lord SaliSbury IN M.