Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-24
SETTLING THE CONTROVERSY.
An Amicable Agreement on the Behring
Sea Fishery Question.

Special D1spatch 70 the Chicago News
IL may Do definitely announced that 6ocfe-
sary Blaine and Sir Julian Pauncefote have
reached an amicable agreement upon The
Behring sea fishery controversy, and that the
question Of damages sustained by British YES
sells VIII be submitted TO arbitr alton.
The details Of this agreement cannot be ~
certained, but it is known that the government
OF the United States viii not under any circum-
stances permit foreigners to catch seals even In
disputed waters during the seasons when its
own subjects are prohibited from catching
them, and it is not believed that Mr.. Blaine
would yield the exclusive right to the fisheries
in that portion of the Behring sea which 10 in
closed entirely by the territory Of the United
States. When Alaska was purchased from Rus
STA the boundary between the United States
and the Russian empire was hxed BY an imag-
strait southwest to the farthermost island in
the Aleutian group, but England and other
European powers have never been formally mo-
tilted that these waters are "clausem mare"
or closed sea, as the term Is known in dipio-
macy. Therefore British seal fishers had the
nominal or moral liberty to enter those waters,
as they have to enter all waters from which
they have not been formally prohibited. The
United States revenue marine and naval YES
sells had, therefore, no right to seize vessels
is liable to damages for the losses
sustained by their owners. Hence the
natural conclusion is that in his agreement with
Sir Julian Patncefote Mr.. Blaine comedies the
seizure Of the British vessels to have been un-
lawful and that Sir Julian comedies the right
of the United States to prohibit poaching upon
its territory hereafter. In other words the
United States will pay whatever damages the
poachers have suffered in the past, when there
was no sign up prohibiting poaching, and En-
gland guarantees that they shall not trespass
again.
It is not known who the arbitrators will be,
but the usual custom Is for each nation to
select representative and the two representa-
tiyes some third neutral authority. or single
arbitrator can be selected. In the dispute be-
tween Nicaragua and Costa RIGA over the route
of the canal President Cleveland was the sole
arbitrator, and President Arthur acted In
similar capacity to settle the boundary dispute
between Mexico and Guatemala. In this in
stance probably the emperor Of Germany or
the president OF France or the king of Italy
will be selected
This agreement is Q great triumph for Mr..
Blaine, and, although he is SO frequently &C.
cused Of "Jingoism," of q desire to disturb in
ternational relations for the purpose Of Great
ing sensation for political effect, there is
really no statesman Of the present age more
sincerely earnest in establishing universally
the principle Of arbitration for the settlement
OF international disputes. He has not only ex-
emphfed this policy in the dispute with Eng
land over the fisheries and with Germany over
the Samoan difference, but from the beginning
has used his powerful influence with the dele
gates to the international American conference
to secure q definite and permanent plan for the
settlement by arbitration of all international
difference among the republics Of this hemi-
sphere, and it may be said that he has been
successful.