The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-24
.BLAINE'S SAUCY WORDS
He Tells Great Britain That She Has
No Right In Bahrins Sea.
And Contends That America viii
Stand BY That Statement-Lord
Salisbury Informed That
Bluff Don't Go.

IN answer To resolution introuuceu Dy
Representative Hit, the official cores
pondence between the government OF
Great Britain and the United States touch
ing the seal fisheries OF Behring sea. Ac-
companyinR the letter of transmittal to
the president. Secretary Blaine, under
date of Bar Harbor, July 10, regrets the
delay in the transmission which the pres
idenl directed OH the 11th inst, and says
| the correspondence is still In progress.
| The correspondence included 30 separate
papers, beginning with the letter from
Edwards, the first secretary of the lega-
ton and charge daifairs after Minister
Vests recall, dated August "a, 1889
and closing with one from Mr.. Blaine to
Julian Pauncefote, British minister, dated
July 10, 1890. The opening letter from
| Edwards says he is instructed by his gov
| ernment to call attention TO the fact that
repeated iumors have reached the British
government that British vessels have been
searched and seized by United States
| cruisers i'm Behring sea outside of the
three miles limit and asks the United
States to send stringent instructions to
its officers TO prevent the possibility of
such occurrences taking place i'm accord
ance with assurances of Secretary Bay
ard that, pending negotiations, no such
interference should take place and add
ing that Sir Julian Pauncefote on his re-
turn to Washington would be prepared to
discuss the whole question.
To this Blaine replied on the same day
| and said the rumors, probably based on
truth, had reached the government of the
United States, but that up to date there
had been no official communication re-
ceived on the subject.
He adds: II has been and is the earnest
Al r.
| to have such adjustment as shall remove
all possible ground Of misunderstanding
| with her majesty's government concern
ing existing troubles in Behring Sea; and
the president believes the responsibility
for delay in the adjustment cannot be
charged to the government OF the United
States. In the opinion OF the president
the points at issue between the two gov
ernments are capable of prompt adjust
ment on n basis entirely honorable to
both.
The president, he says, is surprised that
such a protest should be authorized by
Lord Salisbury, especially because the
| previous declarations of his lordship
would seem to render il impossible. The
secretary then rapidly sketches the his
tory of the negotiations under the pre-
vious administration and says: "fou
will observe from November IL, 1887, to
April %, 1853, Lord Salisbury had in every
form of speech assented TO the necessity
of q close season for the protection OF OF
seals. These assurances
were given TO the American minister, to
the American government, to the Rus
sian ambassador, 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
five days after that assurance Lord Sails
bury said that neither an act OF parlia-
ment nor an order i'm council could be
drafted ''until Canada is heard FROM"
Mr.. Phelps, in his dispatch of September
II. reported that "his lortlship stated that
the Canadian government objected To any
such restrictions and until its consent
could be obtained her majesty's govern
ment was not willing to enter conven-
| tion."
Says the secretary: "This government
cannot feel but that Lord Salisbury would
have dealt more frankly IL in the begin
| ming he had so informed Minister
Phelps" The British government would
assuredly and rightfully complain il the
agreement between her representative
and the representative of the United
States should without notice be broken of
by the United States on the ground that
the state of California was not willing il
should he completed.
In conclusion he proposes, In behalf ol
the president, that her majesty's govern
ment agree not TO permit vessels to enter
Behring sea this season in order that time
may he secured Tor negotiations that
should not be disturbed by untoward
events or unduly influenced by popular
Sir Julian that the president believes the
arbitration cannot be concluded I'm time
for this seasen, and suggests that LORD
Salisbury make for a single season the
regulation which i'm 1883 he offered e
make permanent, as a step which would
/ 40 fria nj
To this the minister replies, on June 3
that further examination of the question
has satisfied his lordship that such an ex
treme measure as that proposed i'm lss'
goes far beyond the requirements OF tho
case. There would be no legal power Il
enforce the observance of such an agree
ment on the British vessels.
Blaine, replying on July 4. says TIN
extreme measure was proposed at tina
time by Lord Salisbury himself and con
/ cludes: THE president does not concea
, his disappointment that even for the SAX
of securing an impartial arbitration he
majestys government Is not willing 4
suspend, for a single season. the practic'
which Lord Salisbury described II
1sSs as the wantoD destruction O
a valuable industry. and which this gov
, ernment has uniformly regarded as al
unprovoked invasion of its established
rights"
On June 9Th Sir Julian Paunceforte pre-
e sents a copy of telegram from Lord Sal
isbury in which he regrets the preshien
should think him wanting I'm cancellation
but that il is beyond the power Of his gov
(; ernment 20 exclude British or CanadlaI
= ships from any portion of the high seas
!. even for an hour without legislative en
q actment. In reply, ON the ilth, Secretar,
Blaine says. "this government would b
satisfied IL Lord Salisbury would. by
proclamation, simply request British YES
= sells TO abstain from entering Behring SCI
for the present season in order To gly'
full time for impartial negotiations.
Sir Julian. on June IL, writes To Blain