The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-25
The Behring Sea Question-No Progress
Toward Settlement.


The main point in the diplomatic zorro.
spondence over the seal fishery question ia
that Secretary BLAINE does not assert or at
tempt to maintain the theory that Behring
Sea Is closed sea, or that we acquired by
purchase from Russia exclusive jurisdiction
over its waters, or that we therefore have
tho right to pursue and punish Canadian
poachers outside of the three-mile limit.
When the HARRISON Administration first
issued It's instructions to the revenue off,
GERS to seize the Canadian vessels found TAX
ing seal In Behring Sea, this theory was
strongly urged by many Republican news
papers as the true ground for the United
States to take The closed sea argument
found favor especially with the friends and
agents of the Alaska Commercial Company,
which had good reason to hope at that time
for renewal Of It's valuable privileges at
the Pribylov islands.
1t is a curious fact that although our
treaty Of purchase with Russia defines the
boundaries Of Alaska In such a way as to
include nearly the whole of Behring Sea, a
body Of brine as large as Alaska itself, and
although the United States statutes ex-
pressly extend our dominion over this vast
area Of water. and although by Executive
proclamation President HARRISON warned
alien fishermen Off the Alaskan waters, the
State Department has never at any time,
In its relations with other Goyernm CEts, dis
ttnctly asserted the principle Of American
ownership and exclusive jurisdiction. And
yet the right to enforce our laws In Behring
Sea, beyond the three-mile limit. logically
depends upon the assertion and establish
ment Of that Jurisdiction. On no other basis
is our power to overhaul Canadian fisher
mon, who arc caught butchering the fur
seals, clear and indlsputable
When Brother BLAINE went back to the
State Department the Republican press said
In substance: Hero at last Is a statesman
large enough. and diplomat resourceful
enough, and patriot brave enough to say
to Great Britain and all the world, "The
United States bought the Alaskan waters
along with Alaska. Behring Sea belongs to
US as much as Chesapeake Bay or Long
Island Sound. We own 1t. What are you
going to do about It p
But Brother BLAINE has done nothing Of
the sort. He knows altogether too much to
rest his case on an assertion OF dominion
over Behring Sea based on the purchase
been claimed by any nation since the times
when kings used to arrogate the sovereignty
of old ocean itself Russia may have sold
us this enormous stretch OF salt water, we
may have boughtit and paid for it, our laws
may have been framed 80 as to include 1t In
their operations, but the recognition by other
nations of Russla's power to sell and our
power to acquire the North Pacific as pri-
vate property Is quite another matter. To
maintain so extraordinary claim we should
be compelled to confront not only Great
Britain, but also every other maritime ma
ton on the globe Interested in the preservaf
tion Of the neutrality of tho ocean highways
OF the world. 1t ia Just as well that the
State Department. perhaps to the dIsap-
pointment OF some OF the admirers OF bril-
FONT and aggressive foreign policy, have re-
Trained from taking the extreme position
which President HARRIsoN's proclamation
OF March %, 1889, seemed to imply.
What Mr.. BLAINE maintains is that the
wanton destruction OF the fur seals by the
Canadian sealers anywhere In Behrng Sea
Ia contra bOnOs mOres-aganst public policy
and against the common interests OF the
civilized world, as we'll as against our I'M
disputed rights in the Pribyloy islands them
selves. Therefore we claim the right to no.
lice the sea, and to seize vessels transgress-
ing our laws for the protection Of the seals,
NO matter what flag tho wretches carry.
We arc bound to say that although
In the absence OF any international
understanding this claim involves many
logical dinlcultiea 1t Is urged with great
vigor and ability by the Secretary OF State.
From the merely controversial point OF view
he has much the better Of Lord SALIsDURY's
Government The wabblinR policy OF the
latter and tho apparent lack of candor
u tt dAallnRR With our HtntA nAnnrtnnant