The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-07-24
THE CORRESPONDENCE
Able Presentation of the American
Case, and the Reply.

WASHINGTON, July 29,-The President to-
day sent to the House the oficialcorr :
pondence between the governments of the
United States and Great Britain, touching
the seal fisheries of Behring Sea. The first
letter is from Mr.. Edwardes to Mr.. Blaine,
dated Bar Harbor, August "a. 1889. 1t says :
Repeated rumors of late have 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 Majesty's govern
ment, there appears to be no reason to doubt
their authenticity. 1 am desired by the Mar
guis Of Salisbury to enquire whether the
United States government is in possession
of similar information, and to ask that
stringent instructions be sent by the United
States government at the earliest moment to
their officers with view to prevent the pos
Sibility of such occurrences taking place.
In continuation of my instructions, have
the honor to remind you that Her MajesIy's
government received very clear assurances
last year from Mr.. Bayard, at that time Sec
retary of State. that pending discussion Of
the general questions at issue. no further in
reference should take place with British
vessels in Behring Sea. In conclusion, the
Marquis of Salisbury desires me to say that
Sir Julian Pauncefote, Her Majesty's minis
ter, will be prepared on his return to WASH
ington in the autumn to discuss the whole
question. Her Majesty's government wish
to point out to the United States govern
ment that settlement cannot but be hinder
ed by any measures Of force which may be
resorted to by the United States"
Mr.. Blaine replied the same day, and at
the same place. that the same rumors, proba-
bly, base d on truth, had reached the govern
ment of the United States, but up to date no
official communication had been received on
the subject: He adds; 1T has been. and IS.
United States to have such adjustment as
shall remove all possible grounds of misun-
derstanding with Her Majesty's government
concerning the existing troubles in Behring
Sea, and the President believes the RESPONSE
bility 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 ad-
justment on basis entirely honorable to
both"
Mr.. Blaine Declined to Answer.
September 18th of last year. Mr.. Edwardes
asked when he might expect an answer to
the request of the government made August
oath that instructions he sent to Alaska to
prevent the probability Of seizure of British
ships in the Behring Sea. Mr.. Blaine was
still at Bar Harhor and September 14th
replied that he had supposed Her Majesty s
government was satisfied Of the Presidents
earnest desire to come to friendly agree
ment touching Behring Sea and the official
instructions TO Sir Julian Pauncefote to pro-
ceed Immediately after his arrival in October
to full discussion of the question had re-
moved all necessity for preliminary cor
respondence touching its merits. Referring
to Mr.. Edwardes's question. he says: "a
categorical response would have been and
still is impracticable and unjust to this
government and misleading to the govern
ment of Her Majesty. 1t was therefore the
judgment of the President that the whole
subject could more wisely be remanded to
the formal discussion so near at hand which
Her MaJesty's government has proposed
aud to which the government Of tho United
States has cordially assented. 1t Is proper
to add that any instruction sent to Behring
Sea at the time of your original request upon
tne 4th Of August would have failed to
reach those waters before the departure of
the vessels of the United States.''
Next Mr.. Edwardes left at the Department
OF State despatch received by him from the
Marquis Of Salisbury, who SAYS that with
out admitting the justice of the seizures his
government was very ready to agree that the
subject was one deserving the gravest atten-
tion and the Russian government was dis
posed to join in the proposed negotiations,
but they were suspended for a time in cOnse-
quence of objections raised by tie Dominion
Of Canada and of doubts thrown on the ply
sical data on which any restrictive legisla-
ti0n must have been based The Marquis
adds: "Her Majesty's government is fully
sensible of the Importance Of this question,
and the great value which will attach to an
International agreement in respect to 1t. Her
Majesty's representative will be furnished
with requisite instructions in case the Secre-
tary of State should be willing to enter upon
the discussion"
In another letter to Mr.. Edwardes, dated
October End last, the Marquis transmits cop
les of affidavits bearing on the seizeure Oh the
British sealerS Black Diamond and Triumph
by the United States revenue cutter Rush.
| He SAYS further sit is apparent from these
affidavits that the vessels were seized at
distance from land far in excess OF the limit of
| the maritime jurisdiction any nation can
| claim by international law. In a despatch
| to Sir L. S. West, dated Sept 10. 1889, which
| was communicated to Mr.. Bayard, L drew
| the attention of the government of the Init
| ed States to the illegality Of these proceed
ings and expressed the hope that due com.
| pensati0n would be awarded the subjects of
| Her Majesty who suffered from them.
nave not since then received from the gov
| ernment OF the United States any intima-
tion OF their Intention in this respect or any
explanation Of the grounds upon which this
interference with British sealers was au-
thorized. Mr.. Bayard did communicate to
US unOnclally the assurance that no further
seizures OF this character should take place