The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-18
Peaceful Talk From Chief of
British Squadron.
HE HAS NO NEW ORDERS.
The Gathering Of Ships at Esquimalt
Easily Explained.
III Behring Sea Patrol IL Needed, He
Has Plenty OF Vessels Ready-The
Question Comes Up in Parliament
The British Navy.

VICTORIA, B. c.. July17.-H. N. swarspite, flag
ship of the North Pacific squadron, with Rear
Admiral Hotham aboard, arrived here today.
The admiral was received with q salute nred BY
H. NJ. S. Champion He was seen on board the
flagship by q correspondent, who interviewed
him briefly in regard to the suggested move
ments of warships to protect Canadian ves-
seis in Behring sea Tho Admiral
had not yet had opportunity to
complete perush Of the mass OF correspondence
that awaited him here. but he stated emphnti-
cally that he had not yet received instructions
20 send any of the fleet to protect British vessels
from seizure by American cutters, or 10 retake
any that might be seized in Bohring sea- He
considered the matter principally from what
he had read of it in the press as purely one for
diplomatic negotiations. and he had yet to
learn what new phase had presented itself that
would suggest a possibility OF warships being
required TO take a hand in adjustment of tho
difficulty. He could hardly see how the United
States could establish a tenable claim TO close
Behring sea, and thought that Canadian inter-
ests must win in the diplomatic fight now in
progress
The latest naval orders, as far as he knows,
were those of two years ago, in which 1t was
stated that werships might be required 20 patrol
Behring straits No ship was ever sent 20 do
this work, hut in event OF one being required
there were plenty in Esquimault now ready 70
leave at once.
On taking command of the squadron ft Was
natural for him to want to see many ships ~
possible at the summer headquarters at Esqui-
mault. and this was the only reason he could
give for the present appearance of so many
ships in that port. Only two were wanted TO
complete the squadron, the Acorn and the
storeship, which are both now at Honolulu.
While Admiral Hothams information on the
subject and on points Of international law would
not justify an opinion. he thought it somewhat
strange that sealers that had been seized,
f~t.x s~r-
removed TO cutters, had then apparently AZ
lowed to escape.
When prize crew was put on board of .
SLAYER seized i'll similar fashion the slaves wero
not taken OFF, but went with the seized boat to
the nearest prize port, there to have their case
adjudicated upon. 1t certainly looked like
q strange proceeding to remove the salabfe
cargo of the sealers and then 60 through
the farce of sending them to prize port with
crew of one in charge. Had England had any
intention of sending one of the feet to Behring
sea this year to prevent seizure of schooners
flying the English flag, Ii Is presumed that
orders would have come long ago. Now Ii one
did go, it would be practically too late I'm tho
season TO accomplish the end sought
He certainly should take no action without
ample instructions 80 to do, and he had not
received these instructions Jet, although he
did not know what his present mail might con-
tain. This was said in regard to the sealing
question. The admiral closed the interview by
saying that he had no knowledge of the future
movements of any of the ships. The first thing
would be inspection and assignment Of each
ship to iz destination.