The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-24
never been attempted against said rights
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Blaine denies that he has gathered erroneous
impressions and says that Minister Phelns,
who cabled Lord Salisbury's assurance ~ is
an able and accurate lawyer, in the correct
ness of whose dispatches the United States
reposes Implicit confidence. But waving
that point Secretary Blaine asks adherence
to the agreement made between Lord Sails
bury and Minister Phelps, Feb. 25, 1888
He refuses to qualify lis statement that the
London negotiations were closed because
the Canadian COVER lment objected, as stated
by Lord Salisbury himself, and closes as
follows: "The interpo ition of British
province against the conclusio of con-
ven1on between two nations which, accord
ing to Minister Phelps, had been virtually
agreed on except as TO details, was. in the
Presidents belief, a grave injustice to the
government OF the United States"
TEXT OF THE FIRST LETTER.
Following is the text of the opening letter
or the cores pondence from Mr., Edwards
to Secretary Blaine:
BAR HARBoR, Me, Aug. "a, 1889.
SIR-ln accordance with instructions which
have received from her majesty's principal Sec
retary of State for foreign affairs, l have the
honor to state to you that epeated rumors have
OF late reached her maiesty's government that
United States cruisers have stopped, searched
and even seized British vessels in Behring sea
outside the three mile limit. from the nearest
land. Although no official confirmation
OF these rumors has reached her maj
estys government, there appears to be
no reason to doubt their authenticity. | am
desired by the Marquis of Salisbury to inquire
whether the United States government is in
possession OF similar information; and further,
TO ask that stringent instructions may be sent
by the United States government at the earliest
moment to their officers with view TO prevent
the possibility of such occurrence taking place
In continuation of my Instructions l have
the honor to emind you that her maiesty's
government received very clear assurances last
year from Mr. Bayard, at that time Secretary
OF state, that pending discussion of the general
questions at issue no further interference should
take place with British vessels In Behriug sea-
In conclusion the Marquis of Salisbury
9esres p me to say that Sir Julian
Pauncefote, her majesty's minister, will be
pr pared on his return to Washington in the
autumn to discuss the whole question, and her
maJesty's s government wish TO point out TO the
United States government that a settlement
cannot but be hindered by any measures of
force which may be resorted to by the United
States. have, ETC., H. G. EDWARDS.
BLAINE's REPLY.
To this letter Secretary Blaine replied on
the same day and at the same place that
the same rumors, pro ably based ON truth,
nave reached the government Of the United
States, but That up to date there had been
no official communication received on the
bject He adds:
1t has been, and is, the earnest desire of the
freSl euC OF Tn United States to have such
adjustment as shall remove all possible ground
or misunderstanding with her majesty's govern
ment concerning the existing trouble in Beh-
ring sea, and the President believes that the re-
sponsibllity for the delay in the adjustment
cannot be properly charged to the government
of the United States. In the opinion OF the
President the points at issue between the two
governments are capable of prompt adjustment
on basis entirely honorable to both.
ENGLAND WANTS AN ANSWER.
On Sept II following Mr.. Edwards asks
when he may expect an answer to the re-
quest of his government made Aug. a.
that instructions be sent to Alaska to pre-
vent the probability of the seizure of Brit
ish ships in Behring sea. He says her
maJesty's government are earnestly wait
ing the action of the Unit d S ates govern
ment on this subject, as the recent reports
of seizures having taken place are causing
much excitement, both in England and
Canada.
DIPLOMATIC ABATEMENT.
Secretary Blaine, still at Bar Harbor,
Sept IA, replied that he had supposed that
her majesty's government was satisfied of
the Presidents earnest desire to come to a
friendly agreement touching the Behring
sealeries and the official instructions to Sir
Julian Pauncefote, the new minister at
Washington, to proceed Immediately after
his arrival to enter into full discussion of
the question removed all necessity for pre-
liminary correspondence touching its merits
Referring to Mr.. Edwards questions, he
says:
categorical response would have been and
Still is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to this govern
ment and misleading to the government of her
majesty. II was therefore, the Judgment of
the President that the whole subject could more
wisely be remanded and discussed in the manner
which her maJesty's government has proposed
70 Ubin ha So h. T.:.a
States has cordially aSsented. 1t is proper
however, to adj that any instruction sent to
BehriDg sea at the time of your original request
upon Aug. % would have failed to reach those
waters before tie departure of the vessels of
the United St .tes.
Next Mr. Edwards left at the depar tment
of state dispatch received by him from the
Marquis of Salisbury, in which he recalls
that in 1886 and 1887, when seizures made
in Behring sea we're under discussion, the
United States minister had made overtures
with respect to the institution of a close
time for the seal fisheries to prevent
the extirpation of seal in that
part of the world. He says that
without admitting the justice of the
seizures his government was very ready to
agree that the subject was cne deserving of
the gravest attention and that the Russian
government was disposed to joi in the pro-
posed negotiations. But they were sus-
PoAAo0 AOi q tAiAo III consequence Ol ODJeC-
tions raised by the Dominion of
Canada and of the doubts thrown on the
physical data on which any restrictive
legislation must have been based.
Her maiesty's government are fully sen-
sible of the importance of this question and
of the great value which will attach to an
international agreement in respect to it,
and her majesty's representative will be
furnished with the requisite instructions in
case the Secretary Of State should be will
ing to enter upon discussion. 10 dispatches
from Lord Salisbury to Mr.. Edwards, last
October, Lord Salisbury refers to the
seizure of British vessels in Behring sea.
Lord Salisbury says:
Mr.. Bayard did, indeed, communicate to us
unoftcally an assurance that no further seiz-
ures of this character should take place
pending discussion of the questions involved be-
tween the two governments Her majesty's
government much regret to find that this un-
derstanding has not been carried forward into
the present year, and that instructions have
been issued to cruisers of the
United States to seize British vessels
fishing for seals in Behring sea
outside the limit Of the territorial waters The
grounds upon which these violent measures
have been taken have not been communicated
to her maJesty's government, and still remain
unexplained. But in view of the unexpected
renewal of the seizures of which her maiesty's
government has previously complained, iG is my
duty TO protest against them and to state that