Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-07-31
THE SEAL FISHERIES.
Correspondence Between Mr..
Blaine and Lord Salisbury.
The United States VIII Stand by Her
Rights-The British Premier's Vas
ciIlating Censured-Ensland Has
No Right in BehrIng Sea.

SponQence between the state DEPART
ment and the British Foreign Office
relating to the Behring Sea controversy
was sent to Congress yesterday by Sec
rotary Blaine.
The letter of Secretary Blaine trans
uniting the correspondence to the
President, and the letter of the Presi-
dent transmitting it to Congress, are
merely formal, Mr.. Blaine stating SIM
ply that he sincerely regrets the delay
in transmission. Secretary Blaine's
letter is dated "Bar Harhor.' The
correspondence transmitted is from Au-
gust "a, 1889, to July 10, 1890.
The first letter is from Mr..
Edwardes, first secretary of the
British Legation at Washington, to Mr..
Blaine, in which the Secretary of State
is informed that repeated rumors have
reached Her Majesty's Government
that the United States cruisers have
stopped, searched and even seized Brit
ish vessels in Behring Sea outside the
three-mile limit. Mr.. Edwardes further
states that the Marquis of Salisbury
desired him to ask that stringent in
structions be sent to United States Of
ficers to prevent the possibility of such
cSSdA1 ChSCo pidSC. Gays AAI.
Edwardes in conclusion:
The Marquis of Salisbury desires me to
say that Sir Julian Pauncefote will be pre-
pared his return to Washington in the
autumn to discuss the whole question, and
Her Majesty's Government wish to point out
to the United States Government that a set
Element can not be hndered by any meas
ures of force which may be resorted to by
the United States.
The correspondence between Secre-
tary Blaine and the new British Min
lister began January 20 of this year
with very long letter from the Sec
tary to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
In this letter Mr.. Blaine goes
over the whole question. and says it is
the opinion of the President that the
vessels arrested were engaged in pur-
suit that was in itself contra DO
nus mores. Mr.. Blaine contended
that ever since this Government
acquired rights in Behring Sea she
maintained undisturbed possession I'M
til 1886, and that these rights she
and Russia had established and
enjoyed for nearly century
In 1866 certain Canadian vessels
asserted their right to enter, and by
their ruthless course to destroy the
fisheries. The Government of the United
States at once proceeded to check this
movement, which, unchecked, was sure
to do great and irreparable harm"
Regarding Englands claim that the
seizures were made on the high
seas, Mr.. Blaine says it is doubt
full whether Her Majesty's Govern
ment would abide by this rule if the
attempt was made to interfere with the
pearl fisheries of Ceylon, which extend
more than twenty miles from the shore
line and have been enjoyed by England
without molestation ever since their ac-
QUESTION.
February 10 the British Minister
wrote that his government was will
ing to adopt the suggestion made
in the course of their interviews
that the tripartite negotiations sus-
pended in London in 1883 be resumed in
Washington, and recommended to his
government certain provisional meas
ures to remove apprehension of de-
pletion of the seal. Salisbury, under
date of May % last, replies to Mr..
Blaine's argument
Mr.. Forsyth, writing on the case to
the American Minister at st. Peters
burg on the 4th of May, 1887 said: 1T
is a viola ton of the rights of the citi-
zens of the United States, immemori-
ally exercised and secured to them as
we'll by the Law Of Nations as by stip-
ulations of the last article of the con-
venton of 1924, to fish in those seas,
and to resort to the coast for the prose-
cution of their lawful commerce upon
points not already occupied"
From the speech OF Mr.. Sumner when
introducing the question of the pur-
chase of Alaska in Congress, it is
equally clear that the United States
Government did not regard themselves
as purchasing a monopoly. Having
dealt with fur-bearing animals, he went
on to treat of fisheries, and, after al
luding to the presence of different spc-
cies of whales in the Aleutian Islands,
said: mo sea is now mare clausune; all
of these may be pursued by ship
under any flag, except directly on the
coast or within its territorial line
Replying to Secretary Blaine in the
statement that from 1867 to 1886 the
possession of seal fisheries was enjoyed
by the United States without intrusion
or interruption from any source, Lord
Salisbury says he can not but think Mr..
Blaine has been misinformed as to the
history of opera tions in Behring Sea
during that period, and cites instances
to prove that British vessels were en-
gagged at intervals in the fur-seal fish
cries. with the cognizance of the United
States Government
Under date of May 90, 1890, Secretary
Blaine, writing to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, again goes over the ground of the
entire controversy, and says that he is
instructed by the President to protest
against the course of the British Gov
eminent in encouraging and protecting
vessels in doing violence against seal
life. The President, Secret ary Blaine
says, is surprised that such violation
should be unnoticed by Lord Salisbury
because previous declarations of his
lordship would seem to render it impos-
sible.'
On the 18th day of November, 1887,
Lord Salisbury, Secretary Blaine says,
in an official interview with the Minis
ter from the United States {Mr. Phelps)
cordially agreed that "a board of regu-
lations should be shaped for the pres
ervation of the seals in Behring Sea
from destruction al proper times by the
citizens of either country" and Lord
Salisbury suggested that Mr.. Phelps
should obtain from his Government
and submit to him lord Salisbury
sketch OF a system of regulation which
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