The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-27
The nehring Sea Difficulty.

II is evident that TIE Behring sea diff
Guilty is a serious one. There is nothing
encouraging in the correspondence re-
lating 70 it which was published day or
two ago. No progress whatever has been
made toward settling 1t since the present
administration came into power. Mr.. Bay
ard, who was Secretary Of State in Mr.
Cleveland's administration, was in a fair
way Of efecting settlement Of 1t when he
retired from Office. Whether he would
have succeeded or not is question concern
ing which there is, Of course. a difference of
opinion. Secretary Blaine's friends say that
he would not, because after Mr.. Blaine took
hold Of the matter the Marquis Of Salisbury,
at the dictation Of Canade, changed his
position. 1t seems that Mr.. Blaine followed
pretty closely the policy marked out by AIr.
Bayard, deeming it both wise and satisfac-
tory. But that policy was not satisfactory
TO the Canadians, because had it been agreed
to hy England they would have been pre-
vented virtually from taking seals in
Behring sea. The Marquis of Salisbury.
therefore, shifted his position in accordance
with the demands of Canada.
In an interview on Friday, at his home
in Wilmington, Del, Mr. Bayard said that
he did not want TO talk about the Behring
sea difficulty, because he could not do so
freely. He said. however, that he regarded
It as very grave one, and expressed the
wish that the country was well out of IL.
The gravity of the situation is apparent.
Correspondence has reached point beyond
which it can hardly go unless Mr.. Blaine
retires from the office of Secretary of State
or the Marquis Of Salisbury resigns. In
view Of the fact that Mr.. Blaine has pretty
plainly charged the English minister with
knowingly stating that which is not true,
the latter could not continue the CORE
spondence without the loss Of self-respect.
A conflict between our revenue cutters
and British cruisers in Behring sea might
bring about war between the two countries
Some time ago the Secretary of the Treas
ury, acting under a statute, gave orders to
the commanders of our revenue cutters in
that sea to seize ali vessels taking seals
without the authority of this government
to do so. When the formal protest of the
British government against selling vessels
carrying the British flag was received,
together with a notification that seizure
would be resisted by British cruisers, an
officer Of this government was sent to
Alaska, presumably with new orders for
our revenue cutters What those orders
are the public has not yet been informed,
but a fair inference is that they are such as
will prevent collision between our revenue
cutters and British cruisers.
But what is to be done? # no seizures are
made of Canadian vessels engaged in taking
seals the Canadians will continue their I'M
lawful acts. They will increase their seal
ing fleet and practically will have gained
their point.
OF course this government will not cou-
sent to be beaten in that way, but Just what
course it will adopt to protect its rights is
not now apparent. Neither this country
nor Great Britain wants war, but as there
is not much apparently to be hoped for
from diplomacy, war may have to be re-
sorted to before settlement is reached.
Arbitration has been suggested, but neither
government as yet has shown any great
willingness to accept it.