Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-24

sentative measures, there would be no legal
| power to enforce the observance of such an
| agreement on British vessels.
BREAKING OFF NEGOTIATIONS
| The communications then begin to get short
and sharp, leading finally to the abrupt break
ing off Of nego tiations. of which The STAR in
| formed its readers some time ago.
Secretary Blaine replied June to Sir Julian's
| letter of the day before He says that the
| most extreme measure proposed came from
| Lord Salisbury himself" and he abruptly
| closed the negotiations because, in his own
| phrase, 1.-The Canadian government objected. y
In conclusion he says: 1.-THE President does
| not conceal his disappointment that esehsfdr
the sake OF securing an impartial arbitration of
the question at issue her majestys government
is not willing to suspend for single season the
practice which Lord Salisbury described in
| 1893 as 'the wanton destruction of a valuable
industry and which this government has uni
| formly regarded an unprovokod invasion of
its established rights"
| juno Sir Julian presents a copy Of tele-
| gram 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 government to exclude British or Canadian
ships from any portion of the high seas even
! for an hour, without legislative enactment
He adds that he does not think he could have
| used the expressions attributed to him.
! In reply June IL Secretary Blaine saws this
government would be satisfied if Lord Sails
| bury would, by proclamation, simply request
British vessels to abstain from entering Behr-
ing sea for the present season in order to give
| full time for impartial negotiation.
| Sir Julian, June H. writes Mr.. Blaine that he
has informed Lord Salisbury that Secretary
| Blaine could not give any assurance that Brit
| ish sealing vessels would not be interfered with
! during the negotiations, and expressed the
| hope that the decision is not final and that
| while there is yet time the commanders of the
will he ~,
| structed to abstain
June IA comes the letter from Sir Julian
| Pauncefote to Secretary Blaine protesting
| against the orders sent to the commanders of
| the revenue cutters in the Behring sea, which
letter was shortly followed by the breaking off
| Of negotiations.
MUST HOLD THE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE
In this letter Sir Julian says: ''Her Britannia
majestys government have learned with great
| concern. from notices which have appeared in
| the press. and the general accuracy of which
has been confirmed by Mr.. BIaine's statements
to the undersigned, that the government Of the
| United States have issued instructions to their
revenue cruisers about to be dispatched to
| Behring sea. under which the vessels of British
subjects will again be exposed in the prose-
cuton OF their legitimate industry on the high
seas. to unlawful interference at the hands of
American officers
Her Britannia majesty's government are
anxious to cooperate to the fullest extent of
their power with the government of the United
States In such measures as may be found to be
expedlent for the protection of the seal fisher
les. lhey are at the present moment engaged
IN examining in concert with the government
OF the United States, the best method of ar
irving at an agreement upon this point But
they cannot admit the right of the United States
OF their own sole motion to restrict for this
purpose the freedom of navigation of Behring
Sea, which the United States have themselves
In former years convincingly and success
fully indicated, nor to enforce their municipal
legislation against British vessels on the high
seas beyond the limits of their territorial jurIs-
diction.
Her Britannia majesty's government are
therefore unable to pass over without notice
the public announcement of an intention on the
part OF the government of the United States to
renew the acts of interference with British YES
sells navigating outside the territorial waters of
the United States, of which they had previously
had to complain.
The undersigned is in consequence instruct
ed formally to protest against such interference
ana TO declare that her Britannia majesty's
government must hold the government of the
United States responsible for the consequences
that may ensue from acts which are contrary
to the established principles of international
law"
BRITISH PROPOSAL.
The minister next. June u. replies to Secre-
tary Blaine's proposition looking to procla-
nation by her majesty's government that
British vessels shall not enter Behring sea the
coming season.
He US that only under the condition that
the following agreement be approved would
such a proclamation be issued:
l. That the two governments agree forthwith
to refer TO arbitration the question of the legal
ity of the action of the United States govern
ment III seizlng or otherwise interfering with
british vessels engaged in the Behring sea- out
side OF territorial waters, during the years of
1885, 1887 and 1889.
2. That, pending the award. all interference
with British sealing vessels shall absolutely
cease.
3. That the United States government. if the
award should be adverse to them on the ques-
ton of legal right, will compensate British
subjects for the losses which they may sustain
by reason of their compliance with the British
proclamation.
LORD sALIsBURYS MISLEADING QUOTATION.
A sharp controversy sprang up between Mr..
Blaine and Lord Salisbury at this point as to
what Lord Salisbury had formerly said as TO
the protection OF the waters of Behring sea-
ana Mr.. Blaine accuses Lord Salisbury i'll very
vigorous terms of deliberate misauotation in
saying that Secretary John Quincy Adams had
protested against Russia's claim to exclusive
jurisdiction over Behring sea. The Secretary
says:
The quotation which Lord Salisbury makes
Is unfortunately most defective erroneous
ana misleading one. The conclusion is sepa-
i"tcu lIoiH tHe premise, q comma Is turned
INTO period, an important qualification US to
time Is entirely erased, without even sug-
gestlon that 1t had ever formed part of the
text and out of eighty-four words logically and
lnseparably connected. thirty-tive are dropped
from Mr.. Adams paragraph in Lord Salisbury's
quotation. No edition OF Mr. Adams work
gives authority for his lordship's quotation,
while the archives of this department plainly
disclose Its many errors"
MIR. BLAINE's FINAL LETTER.
The correspondence closes with n long letter
from Mr.. Blaine to Sir Julian, written last Sat-
urday. Touching Lord Salisbury's denial that
he gave an assurance with respect to the pro-
posed convention, MIR. Blaine says that he
simply quoted the facts communicated by Min
lister Phelps and our charge daffares Mr..
White. He says that Mr., Phelps has long been
known III this country an able lawyer, accu-
rate III the use of words and discriminating in
the statements of facts. The government of
the United States necessarily reposes implicit
confidence III the literal correctness of the dis
patch quoted.
MIR. Blaine says that he is instructed by the
PRESIDENT to say that this government is willing
TO cancel, SO far as it is concerned, the assur-
ance received on April 16, 1890, from Lord
salisbury that the protected area for seal life
should be extended southwark to the forty
seventh degree Of north latitude. and also the
promise that he would have "a draught con-
ventlon prepared for submission to the Bus
sion ambassador and the American charge"
ms government. however, asks Great Britain
10 adhere to the agreement made between
Lord Salisbury and Mr.. Phelps on February rs,
lSS2.
In conclusion Mr.. Blaine declines in any way