Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-24
BRanfHo ssA.rIsHBRIEs.
lCo.snssd fron tir., pase-l

invitation for q eoansef proposal for settle
mens, that - the sole object Of the nego
siafioss vas the rfes<fvAtion of the ful
sesl species. regardless Of advantage TO any
particular naii,u or private interests. i
would be strange If there should be failure
10 devise mesIs Of solving the d fcUltiei
which had arisen
In visv of ,hs divergent views held. nc
solziiDu you'd safety public opinion in
Canada or Great Britain, without . full
inquiry b. the BiEed commission experts-
Neanv hile be uas prepared 10 recon mend
to bis govern ment certain provisional and
precautionary measares to remove the aP-
pre- hsasiou Of depletion Of the fur seal
speciss, pending the report OF the commits
sion. The regulations proposed are:
/. Frlagic sealing should te prohibited
in Behffnx Sea, Sea of uschotsh and Ad-
joining waters. during Nay. June. october,
November and December, which ni-y be
termed the migration periods OF fur seal
2. Ali sealing vessels should be prohio-
tied from approaching the br. eding islands.
within Z radius Of ten miles
Th. se regulations, he thinks. will put =
stop To the practices complained OF As
tendirg to extrrminaIe seals. The British
miniater also eneioses draft OF the coz
vention prcyi; ing for the aIpoin,mens of
who are to repJ,t on certain
9 ,ecified questions within two years. The
matters that are not adjusted by the COM
mission may be left to arbitration.
Marquis Salisbury, under the date OF
May ~ last, in letter TO The British min-
ister. undertakes to reply to Blaines Argu-
men.s. Kelativetto the statement that The
seizures are JUSTIFIED by the fact that they
were engaged in pursuit that Is IN itself
contra boaas mares, pursuit, which of
necessity inyo olives = seriods and permanent
in ury to the governmen ut and the people of
tue nited States
The Marquis says 1T is obvious tina,
two que stions are inrolyed-tirsr, whether
the pursuit and killing of fur seals in GER
tain parts of the open sea is from the point
of view of international morality, an OF
fence contra boRos m0res secondly,
~hether II such be the case, THIS fact JUST
hes seizure on the high seas and Subsequent
confscstion In time Of peace of private
vessels of friendly nations" He argues
asairi.t both conclusions and says 1T re-
quires something more than the mere dee.
| ration that the Government or citizens Of
L
Interested in the seal trade, are losers by q
certain course of proceeding, to render that
course an immoral one. Her Majesty .
Government would deeply regret thar the
pursuit Of fur seals On the high seas by
British vessels should involve even the
.ligntest injury to the people of the [ nited
5 a,es. Ii that case be proved, they will
be ready TO COL slider what measures can be
properly taken for the remedy Of that in.
Jury, but would be unable GU that ground
TO depart from the prlnci pie on which free
commerce on the high seas depends"
Respecting Biaines statement of the ex-
elusive monopoly enjoyed by Russia, the
Marquis quotes. from z iincy Adams let
ter, United States minister TO Russia,
(Which nation in 1921 probi oited all for
elgu vessels from approaching. within 100
miles from the coast of BehrIng straits tt
the 81 st degree of north iatiiude) to the Ell
tect that the United States could admit no
part of these Glazing. He also cites the
case Of the United States brig Lariot. Il
show the tight of fishing thus Asserted, in
cluded the right of killing fur bearing AM
mails. The brig was forced by an srmec
Russian naval vessel TO leave the waters
He also argued from the sphere of summer
when introducing the ques IN OF the pur
chase of Alaska TO Congress. |! is equally
clear that the United States governmen
did not regard themselves AS purchasing g
monopoly.
Having dealt with the fur bearing ami
mails, he went on TO treat of the fisheries
Abiding to the presence of the diferen
species of whales in the vicinity of the
Aleutans, he said: NO sea is now
mare eiduSUH, and all of these may be-
pursued ship under any flag, except di
rectly on the coast or within Its territorial
limit" The Marquis also says that Blaine
must have been mlsinformed respecting tn.
uninterrupted possession of the UniteC
States from 1867 to 1856. and submits ex
tracts from the reports of nlted State,
officers, to show that during that time Brit
ish vessels had engaged At intervals in the
fur seal fisheries. with the cognizance Of
the United States government.
Finds 1t unnecessary to deal with the
question Of extinction Of the seal through
the pelagic sealing, as it is proposed to ex
anime the subject by committee appoint
ed by the two governments Marquis ssy'
in conclu. sion: Negotiations are now bs
ing carried on at Washington to prove tn,
readiness of her msjestys government Il
consider whether any special internationa
agreement WAS Necessary for protection &c
fur sealing industry. In It's absence they
are unable to admit the case put forward OF
behalf of the nited States affords an,
sufficient justification for the forcible &C
ton already ken by them against the
peaceable subjects of her msjesty's. en-
gagged in lawful operations on the high
seas"
The next letter from the British minister
dated May %, referring to the departure OIL
revenue cutters TO The Behring Sea TO seizs
foreign sealers. and says he is Instructed t
state a formal Protest again,t such inter
ference with British vessels, and be TO.
warned at once. Blaine, May 20, respond,
he is instructed by the President TO protest
against the course of the British govern
ment in authorizing, and encouraging, a,
proteculg vesselsIs not only interfer ri u
with American rights in the Behrlng Sea
but is doing violence AS we'll to the rights
OF the civilized world. The 30 h and las'
letter was addressed by Blame to S.r Juliat
Pauncefote, from Bar Iiarbor last Satur
day. In il the Secretary takes up the
errors Lord Salisbury thinks he ha,
gathered from the records of his office.
Touching Lord Salisburys denial. thai
he gave assurance with respect to the pre-
posed convention, Blaine says he Simply
quoted the facts communicated by minister
Phelps and our charge of d'affaires by
White. lie says as Phelps has long been
known in this country as an able Law
yer,-accurste in his word, and discriminate
ing in the statement of facts, The gov
ernment of the United 5 ates necessarily
reposes implicit confidence in the literal
correctness of the desra,ch as quoted.
On April 18th conference was held at
the Foreign Office respecting the Behring
SEA controversy. The Secretary says
This conference was really called At the
request of the Russian ambassador, VINO
desired that Russian rights in Behring sea
should be as fully recognized by England
as American rights were recognized IN the
verbal agreement of February 25th be-
tween Lord Salisbury and Phelps. The
Russian ambassador received from Lord
Salisbury an assurance (valusbie
also to the United States that the protected
area for seal life should be extended south.
ward to 41th degree north latitude, and
also promise he would have draft of the
convention prepared for submission to the
Russian ambassador in American charge.
Lord Salisbury now contends that all the
proceedings at the conference of April Is
are to be regarded as only provisional, in
order to furnish basis for the negotiation.
aud without definitely pledging our govern
ments.
While understanding that this govern
ment differs from that maintained by Lord
Salisbury, am instructed by the PreN-
dent to say that the United States is will
ing to consider all proc sedings of April is.
1888, car celled IS far As American rights
are concerned. This government will ask
Great Britain to adhear only to the agree