Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-24

Ter OF seals IN the open waters of Behring
Sea ov % madam vessels that. whereas the
Governr nent has allowed 100000 to be
taAen Xnnually for series of years. it is
now compelled to reduce the number to
oo,V 90 If four years of this violation of
ma ional and neighbors rights has reduced
Ie annual slaughter of the seal by 40 per
cent, it is easy to see how short period
will be required to work the total destruc-
ton of the fisheries The ground upon
which her Majesty's Government justihes,
or at least defends the course of the Csnad-
ian vessels rests upon the fact that they,
are committing their acts of destruction on
the high seas.
1t is doubtful whether her Majesty's
Government would abide by this rule if the
attempt were 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-
ouisition So well recognized is the British
ownership of those fisheries, regardless of
the limit of the three-mile line, that her
Majesty's Government feels authorized to
sell the pearl fisheries right from year TO
year to the highest bidder. Nor is it credi-
BILE that the modes of fishing on the Grand
Banks, altogether practicable, but highly
destructive, would be justified or even per-
mitted by Great Britain on the plea of
vicious acts committed more than three
miles from shore.
DYNAMITE USED.
He mentions dynamite as one of these
destructive methods. docs her Maiesty's
Government seriously maintain the law of
nations is powerless to prevent such viola
ton of the common rights of man? Are
the supporters of justice in all nations to
be declared incompetent to prevent wrongs
so odious and so destructive? In the judg-
ment of this Government the law of the
sea is not lawlessness. One step beyond
that which her Majesty's Government has
taken in this contention and piracy finds
its jurisdiction. This Government has
been ready to concede much in order TO ad-
just all the differences in view, and has, in
the judgment of the President, already
proposed a solution not only equitable but
generous. The President now awaits with
deep interest, not unmixed with solicitude
any proposition for reasonable adjust
ment which her Majesty's Government
may submit. The forcible resistance to
which this Government is constrained in
Behring Sea is, in the Presidents judg-
ment, demanded not only by the necessity
of defending the traditional and long estab.
lished rights of the United States, but also
the rights of good government and good
morals the world over.
NO OCCASION TO MODIFY her POSITION.
"In this contention the Governments of the
United States had no occasion and no de-
sire to withdraw or modify any positions
which it has at any time maintained
against the claims of the Imperial Govern
ment of Russia. The United States will
not withhold from any nation privileges
which it demanded for itself when Alaska
was part of the Russian Empire Nor is
the Government of the United States dis
posed to exercise in those possessions any
less power than it was willing to concede
to the Imperial Government of Russia
when its sovereignty extended over them" !"
LETTER FROM PAUNcEForE.
April Both Pauncefote wrote to Blaine. in
answer to his invitation for q counter pro-
posal for settlement, that as the sole object
of the negotiations was the preservation of
the fur seal, her Majesty's Government
must question whether this pursuit can
itself be regarded as contra bonos mores,
unless and until, for special reasons, it has
been agreed by international arrangement
to forbid it. For seals are indisputably an
imal ferae natural.
THE PRESIDENT SURPRISED.
The President says the Secretary is sur
prised that such protest should be author
lied by Lord Salisbury, especially because
the previous declarations of his Lordship
would seem to render them impossible
The Secretary then rapidly sketches the
history of the negotiations under the prev
ious administration, and says: "You will
observe that from the 11th of November
1887, to the 18th of April, 1888, Lord Sails
bury had, in every form OF speech, assented
to the necessity of close season for the
protection of seals. These assurances were
given to the American Minister, to the Amer
ican Charge d'Afaires. 10 the Russian EN-
bassador, and on more than one occasion to
two OF them together. The United States
had no reason, therefore, to doubt that the
whole dispute touching the seal fisheries
was practically settled"
Continuing, Secretary Blaine says that
i've days after that assurance Lord Sails
bury said that neither an Act of Parlia-
ment nor an order in the Council could be
drafted until Canada is heard from. Mr..
Phelps in his dispatch of September 18Th,
reported: His lordship stated that the
Canadian Government objected to any such
restrictions, and until ts.consent could be
obtained her Majesty's Government was
not willing to enter into the convention" ;"
Says the Secretary: This Government
cannot but feel that Lord Salisbury would
have dealt more frankly in the beginning
if he had sc informed Minister Phelps.
The British Government would assuredly
and rightfully complain if an agreement
between her representative and the repre-
sentative OF the United States should.
without notice, DE broken of by the United
States on the ground that the State of Cali.
fornia was not willing that it should be
completed"
In conclusion, he proposes, in behalf of
the President, that her Majesty's Govern
ment agree not to permit vessels to enter
Behrlng Sea this season, in order that time
may be secured for negotiations that shall
not be disturbed by untoward events or
unduiy influenced by popular agitations.
June I'd the Secretary writes Sir Julian
that the President believes that arbitra.
tion cannot be concluded in time for this
season, and suggests that Lord Salisbury
make, for a single season, regulation
which, in 1888, he offered TO make perma-
nent, as step which would certainly lead
to friendly agreement.
THE MINISTER REPLIES.
To this the Minister replied, on June Sd.
that further examination of the question
had satisfied his Lordship that such au ex-
treme measure as that proposed in 1888
goes far beyond the requirements Of the
case. There would be no legal power 10
enforce the observance of such an agree
ment on British vessels.
THE 'ExTREME MEASURE"
Secretary Blaine, replying on June 4th.
says that the extreme measure came
from Lord Salisbury himself, and con-
cludes: The President does not conceal
his disappointment that, even for the sake
of securing an important arbitration, her
Majesty's Government is not willing to
suspend, for single season, the practice
which Lord Salisbury described in 1888 as
the wanton destruction of valuable in
dustry, and which this Government has
uniformly regarded as an Inproyoked in
vasion OF its established rights"
June 9th Sir Julian Pauncefote presents
copy of telegram from Lord Salisbury,
in which he regrets that the President
should think him wanting in Cancellation,
but that it is beyond the power of his Gov
ernment to exclude British or Canadian
ships from any portion of the high seas,
even for an hour, without legislative en-