Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-07-31
THE BEHRING SEA.
Secretary Blame Vigorously AS
ssrts Our Rights.
Diplomatic Correspondence on the
Fisheries Matter Made
Public.

The president has sent to the house
OF representatives, in answer to a
resolution introduced by Representa-
tive Hit, the official correspondence
between the government OF the United
States and the government of Great
Britain touching the seal fisheries Of
the Behring sea. In his accompany
ing letter OF transmittal to the presi-
dent, Secretary Blaine, under date OF
Bar Harbor, July 10, regrets the delay
in the transmission, which the presi-
dent directed on the 18th inst. and
says that the correspondence Is still In
progress. The correspondence in
cludes thirty separate papers.
Under date OF May 20, 1890, Secre-
tary Blaine writing to Sir Julian
Pauncefote, again goes over the ground
OF the entire controversy, and says
that he is instructed by the president
to protest against the course OF the
British government in encouraging
and protecting vessels In doing vio.
lence against seal life. The president,
Secretary Blaine says, is surprised
that such protest should be authorized
by Lord Salisbury "because the pre-
vious declarations OF his lordship
would seem to render 1t impossible.
On the 18th day OF Noven ber 1887,
Lord Salisbury, Secretary Blaine says,
in an official interview with the min
lister of the United States (Mr. Phelps)
cordially agreed that "a code Of regu-
lations should be adopted for the
preservation of the seals In Behring
sea from destruction atimproper times,
by improper means, by the citizens OF
either country. land Lord Salisbury
suggested that Mr.. Phelps .'should
obtain from his government to submit
to him (Lord Salisbury a sketch Of q
system of regulations which would be
adequate for the purpose.
For several weeks following April
28, Mr.. Blaine says, there were many
calls oy the American charge at the
foreign Office to learn "whether Can
ada had been heard from" He call
ed alone and called in company with
the Russian.
Finally on the goth OF June, Lord
Salisbury told him that an urgent
telegram had been sent TO Canada a
week ago with respect to the delay in
its expedition" and that reply had
been received by the secretary OF
state for the colonies saying that the
matter will be taken up Immediately"
The thirteenth and last letter Of
correspondence, which would II print
| ed entire, fill over twenty newspaper
columns, was addressed by Mr.. Blame
to Sir Julian Pauncefote from Bar
Harbor, last Saturday. In it the Sec
rotary says:
81 am instructed by the president TO say that
the United States is willing to consider all the
proceedings OF April 10, 1888, as cancelled, so
| far as American rights may be concerned
| This government viii ask Great Britain to adj
here to the arrangements made between Lord
| Salisbury and Mr. Phelps on the 25th Of Feb
ruary, 1883. That was the agreement made
| directly between The two governments and did
not include the rights OF Russia. Asking Lord
Salisbury to adhere TO the agreement OF Feb
ruary %, we leave the agreement OF April 10 to
be maintained II maintained at all, by Russia,
| for whose cause and for whose advantage 1t
was particularly designed.
Blaine also refers to Lord Sails
bury's statement that political events
in the United States had caused the
Interruptions of the negotiations, and
not Canadian objection, and closes
the voluminous correspondence as
| follows:
| SIN justified In assuming that Lord Sails
| busy cannot recur to the remark Of Mr.. Phelps
| as one of the reasons for breaking of negotia-
| tions, because negotiation was In actual pro
I! gress for more than four months after the re-
mark was made, and Mr.. Phelps himself took
| q large part in it. Upon this recital Of facts |
| am unable to recall or in any way qualify the
| statement which made In my note Of June 4,
TO the effect that Lord Salisbury abruptly
| closed the negotiation because the Canadian
| government objected and that he assigned no
| other reason whatever. Lord Salisbury ex-
| presses the belief that even II the view have
| taken of these transactions be accurate they
| would not bear out the argument which
| founded upon them The argument to which
| Lord Salisbury refers Is, l presume, the re-
| monstrance which made by direction Of the
/ president against a change OF policy by her
| majesty's government without notice and
! against the wish of the United States. The
| interpostion OF the wishes of O British pro-
| vince against the conclusion OF q convention
between the two nations which, according to
Mr.. Phelps, chad been virtually agreed upon
except as to details" was, In the presidents
belief, grave injustice to the government OF
the United States.