The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-24
APPEALING TO HIS HONOR


ations here referred to, Secretary Blaine
says:
You will observe then that from Nov. II.
1887, to April 3 1888 Lord Salisbury had ia
every form of Speech assented to the necessity
or a close season for the production OF
seals. The assurances were given 20 the Amer
ican minister, TO the Russian ambassador |
and on more than one occasion To two !
fore, had no reason to doubt that the whole |
dispute of the seal fisheries was practically |
settled Indeed, TO have distrusted it would !
have been to question the goo faith of Lord |
Salisbury. In diplomatic interview between |
Great Britain and the United States be it said |
to the honor Of both governments. very little
assurance from minister has always been |
equal to his written pledge.
In this communication Secretary Blaine
treats Of Sir Pauncefote's suggestion for
provisional arrangement. and points out
that the open season selected by the latter
would find the islands most crowded with
seals, especially females going forth for food
for their young, and that deadly loss would
follow. The respect which sealing vessels
would pay to the ten mile
limit would be the same that
wolves pay to flock of sheep SO placed
that no shepherd can guard them
ENGLANDs PROTEST PRESENTED.
On June 2S Sir Pauncefote, with regret
for his inability to secure a favorable
response, presents the formal protest of the
DrltlSu government. III TeduS as IOllOWS.
Her Britannia majesty's government have
learned with great concern from notices which
have appeared in the press, and the general
accuracy of which has been confirmed by Sec
retary Blaine's statements TO the Undersigned,
that the government of the ULited States have
issued 1 istructions to their revenue cruisers
about to be dispatched to Behring sea, under
which vessels of British subjects will be expose
in the prosecution of their legitimate industry
on the high sea to unlawful Interference at the
hands of American officers. Her maiesty's
government are anxious to cooperate to the
FULLEST extent OF their power with The govern
menU of the United States 10 such measures as
may be found to be expedent for the protec-
tion of the sea fisheries. They are at the pres
ent moment engaged in examining. in concert
with the government of the United States the
best method of arriving at an agree
ment upon this point but they cannot
admit the right of the United States of
tn ir sole motion to restrict for this purpose
freedom Of navigation of Behring sea, which
the United States have themselves in former
years successfully vindicated nor TO enforce
their municipal legislation against British yes
seis on the high seas beyond the limits of their
loyal jurisdiction. Her Britannia males
tvs government are therefore unable
to pass over without notice the public
ammo lncement of an intention the part of
the United States to renew interference to Brit
ish vessels navigating outside the waters of the
United States, Of which they have had pre-
viously to complain. The undersigned is in
structed TO protest against such interference
and to declare that her Britannia maiesty's
United states responsible for the consequences
that may come from acts which are contrary
to the established principles of international
law.
KEEPING OUT BRITISH VESSELS.
To Secretary Blaine's suggestion OF
proclamation by the British government
that British vessels shall not enter Behring
sea during the coming season, Lord Sails
bury replies through Sir Pauncefote that
there are three conditions on which it is in
dispensable in the view Of her nlnjesty's
government that the issue of the
based. These are: That the two
governments agree forthwith to refer TO
arbitration the question of the legality of
the action of the United States government
In selzlng or otherwise interfering with
British vessels engaged in Behring sea out
side OF territorial waite during the years
OF 1856, 'S7 and $50; second, that pending
the award all interfere lce with British SEAL
ing vessels shall absolutely cease; third,
that the United States government, if the
award should be adverse to them on the
question Of legal right will compensate
British subjects for the losses which they
may sustain by reason of their compliance
with the British proclamation.
SECRETARY ADAMS ATTITUDE.
On the last of June Secretary Blaine ad-
dressed the British minister a very long
munication, in which tAe latter stated that
Secretary John Q QIincy Adams had pr
to ted against kussia'S claim to exclusive
jurisdiction over Behring sea. Secretlry
Blaine quotes Lord Salisbury's version Of
what Secretary Adams said, and produces
Secretary Adams text as he wrote it. Lord
Salisbury's quotation from Secretary Ad-
ans is as follows:
The United States can admit no part of these
claims. The right of navigation and of fishing
is perfect, and has been constantly exercised
from the earliest times throughout the whole
extent OF the Southern ocean, subject only TO
the ordinary exceptions and exclusions of the
territorial jurisdiction
The full text of Secretary Adams para
graph reads:
The United States can admit no part of these
claims Their right of navigation and of fishing
is perfect and has been in constant exercise
from the earliest times. After the peace of
1s43, throughout the whole extent of the South
ern ocean, subject only to the ordinary excep-
tions and exclusions of territorial jurisdiction
10 ltch, so far as Russidn rights are concerned
are confined to certain islands north Of The
55th degree of latitude, aud haze no existence
on The continent Of ABaericd
Secretary Blaine says the words in italics
are those which are left out of Secretary
Adams paragraph in the dispatch of Lord
Salisbury. They are precisely the words
upon which the government of the United
States POUNDS its argument in this case. The
ooClStaiJ IefleWS Gue ueBOtl1UlOnS ending
in the treaty of 1926, by
which the respective claims of the
United States. Great Britain and
Russia to territory in the northwest were
adjusted, and by which England. as he
he says, consented to such total exclusion
from Behring sea as to forego following her
own river the Yukon to It's mouth in that
sea. Says he:
1t shows curious association of political
events that In the Washington treaty of 1871
the United States conceded to Great Britain the
privilege of navigating the Yukon and its
branches to Behring in exchange for GER
tain privileges conceded to the United States on
the ST. Lawrence. The request of Great Britain
for the privilege of navigating on the Yukon
and Porcupine is a suggestive confession that it
was withheld from her by Russia in the treaty
of 1925 withheld because the river flowed to
Behring sea.
RESULT OF THE PROTEST.
Elsewhere in this communication Secre- |
tary Blaine writes:
The result of the protest of Secretary Adams |
followed by the cooperation of Great Britain |
was to force Russia back to $40 40' as her |
southern boundary, but there was no rehuncia- |
ton whatever on the part of Russia as to |
Behring sea, TO which the ukase especially and |
primarily applied. Both the United States and |
Great Britain recognized it, respected it, and |
obeyed It. 1t did not as many suppose,