The morning call., 1890-07-25
OPPOSITE VIEWS.
Comments on the Behring Sea
Correspondence.
Washington Newspapers Greatly al Yari-
anCe in Their Opinions.
The Official Organ Of the Canadian Coy
erlment Resorts 10 Threats Sails
bury Held Responsible.
Special Dispatches to THE MoRNISe CALL.

WASHINGTON, July "a. - The Behring
Sea correspondence has caused consider
able talk at the Capitol, and the tone of it
is gratifying. The general opinion ex-
pressed is that it shows us to be master of
the situation, and that however threatening
the seeming attitude of the British Govern
ment may be, we will win the contention.
The Evening Star says editorially:
England wants what is impossible, the
right admitted-pending a settlement of
the vexed questions at issue-of Canadian
aealers to destroy seals at will. This Gov
ernment is not easily intimidated. and does
not desire to lntimidate other Governments
Iatters between England and the United
States can be adjudicated. This wranglng
should cease, and friendly negotiations be
resumed. Matters are now practically at
standstill, and it is for England to remove
the obstacle to the negotiations by modify
ing this impossible conditions of the latest
PROPOSAL.
The Critic Democratic thinks that a
crisis is imminent. 1t says: There
IS but one Interpretation of tile
Behring Sea controversy. Divested of It's
diplomatic trappings and reduced to its
plain and homely sig nifcance it is a threat
on England's part and a retreat on ours
Either we are to abandon our claims in the
matter of the seal fisheries for unless we
protect these fisheries we shall lose them
altogetheD or we must prepare to encounter
EDgland's wrath. There is no mistaking
the British uItimatum as submitted by Sir
Julian Pauncefote. England is willing to
arbitrate, but English and Canadian yes
sells are to prey upon our seal fisheries
meanwhile, with every prospect that these
fisheries will be destroyed in the process be-
fore the conclusion of the arbitration. In
q word England is determined to have her
own way even if she is compelled TO use force.
Statesmen in Congress or out of it, news
papers and pubicists may tell us as they
please of the folly Of quarrelng over few
seals; the fact remains that England has
shaken her big, hungry, insolent fist in the
white and shrinking face of the United
States.
TORONTO, July 24-The Empire, the chief
Cover nment organ, says: The diplomatic
correspondence on the Behring Sea qnes-
tion, published to-day, will be read with
Interest, though it really contains little that
is new or that might not have been antlci-
pated, at least in the main outlines. That
Lord Salisbury staunchly maintained the
rights Of British subjects, including Cana
dianS, is proved beyond question. Secre-
tary Bialne'S course is not surprising. His
spntentiops craitily avoid the main point
mat the seizures are contrary 20 -iTterna-
tional law. rs being outside of territorial
waters and United States jurisdiction. III
his legends about Russian rights acquired,
his complaints of injury done United States
interests, and his claim TO insist upon the
nf n Nall
founded as they are Inaccurate, would be
outside the mark, for no amount of wrong
doing or loss would justify the interference
of outside jurisdiction. He might as well
assume to send his police to Toronto to
make arrests and seizures because some
citizens of the United States had been
robbed. But all this had been the United
States policy. The cessation of high
handed outrages is not due to any neigh
borly feeling or fair play, or any respect for
law and the rights of others, but 10 the
recognition of the fact that the end of
British patience and fOrbearance has been
reached"
LONDON, July 24.-The Telegraph re-
grets the asperity of the tone of Blaine in
the BehIing Sea dispatches. England"
il says. is strong enough to be calm and
courteous and is sufficiently fond of
peace to disregard Blaine's petulance. En-
gland has no immediate interest in the
question beyond seeing fair play" 1t con-
cludes with the suggestion that King Hum
bert OF Italy or Emperor William be asked
to arbitrate the matter.
The Chronicle says: Mr.. Blaine proves
himself an abler man in the controversy
than Lord Salisbury, although having the
worse case to defend. The repre-
sentatiyes of England seem to be
mere babies in the hands of Mr..
Blaine. 1t is obvious that Lord Salisbury
at an early period of the discussion became
sensible of his inferiority in diplomatic
skill to his opponent; lost his temper and
deliberately insUlted Mr.. Blaine by declar-
ing that he conducted the negotiations in the
interests of his party and not in the inter
ests of his country. Whatever Blaine's
object may be, however, 1t does
not alter the fact that no claim,
Russian or American, and no admission OF
John Quincy Adams can convert vast open
sea into mare clauSum.
The Times says: The correspondence
leaves matters worse. Under the sinister
influences of party pressure President Har-
riSOn and Secretary Blaine have become
more eXacting and have advanced in an IT.
reconciable spirit claims about which they
once expressed ditiidence. The question
is now at a deadlock.
NEW YORK, July "A. - An Ottawa dis
patch to the Tribune says that before the
publication of the Behring Sea correspon-
dence 1t was not realized there how com
pletely Salisbury had used Canada to draw
DIltlSn cIestnutS out OIL tne Hre. III is
noted with some uneaSiness that the al
legged Canadian interests and Canadian un-
Willingness to come to settlement are so
prominently used in Salisbury's dispatches
as to justify the impression in the United
States that Canada is the chief factor in
preventing an understanding. The general
sentiment i'll Government circles is that this
has been carried too far. Canada's conten-
tion is that while she has an undoubted
right to seals in the open sea, there are lim-
talons arising from the peculiar geo.
graphical and economic elements that
render it Immediately desirable that the
sealing grounds should be policed and
friendly understanding to that effect ar
rived at. Instead of Canada offering OBJ
stacles to a settlement, the British Foreign
Office is considered responsible.