Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-24
BERING SEA DISPUTE
The Question Far From Be-
ing Settled.
The Recent Correspondence on
the Subject.
Neither Nation is Willing to Make
Concessions.
Wordy War Carried on by Secretary
Blaine and the British Gov.
ernment.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

Associated Press Dispatches
WASHINGTON, July 23.-The president
today sent to the house of representa-
tives, in answer to the resolution intro
dnced by Representative Hit, the
official correspondence between the
government and Great Britain touching
the seal fisheries OF Bering sea. In his
accompanying letter of transmittal to
the president, Secretary Blaine, under
date of Bar Harbor, July 10th, regarding
the delay in transmission, which the
president directed on the 18th instant,
says the correspondence is still in
progress.
The correspondence includes thirty
separate papers, beginning with letter
from Edwards, first secretary of legation
and charge d'affaires after Minister
Vests recall, dated August "a, 1889, and
closing with one from Secretary Blaine
to Sir Julian Pauncefote, British minis
ter, dated July 19, 1890.
The Opening Letter.
The opening letter from Edwards says
heis instructed by his government to
call attention to the fact that repeated
rumors had reached the British govern
ment that British vessels had been
searched and seized by United States
cruisers in Bering sea outside the three
mile limit, and asks the United States
to send stringent instructions to it's
officers to prevent the possibility of such
occurrences taking place, in accordance
with the assurance of Secretary Bayard
that pending negotiations no such inter-
ference should take place; and adding
that Sir Julian Pauncefote, on his return
to Washington, would be prepared to
discuss the whole question.
Mr. Blaine's Reply.
To this Blaine replied on the same
day, that the same rumors, probably
based on truth, had reached the govern
ment OF the United States, but that up
to date there had been no official COM
munication received on the subject. He
adds "It has been, and is the earnest
desire OF the president OF the United
States to have such all adjustment as
shall remove all possible ground of mis-
understanding with her majestys gov
ernment concerning the existing
troubles in Bering sea; and the presi-
dent believes the responsibility for de-
lay in adjustment cannot be properly
charged to the government of the United
States. In the opinion of the president
the points at issue between the two
governments are capable of prompt ad-
justment on basis entirely honorable
to both"
A Request Unanswered.
On September 18th, last, Edwards
asked when he might expect an answer
to the request his government made
August oath, that instructions be sent
to Alaska to prevent the probability of
the seizure of British ships in Bering
sea. He says: "The recent reports of
seizures having taken place are causing
much excitement both in England and
Canada"
Mr.. Blaine, on September 4th, replied
that he supposed her majesty's govern
ment was satisfied of the presidents
earnest desire to come to a friendly
agreement that official instructions to
Sir Julian Pauncefote to proceed imme-
'diately after his arrival in October to
full discussion of the question, removed
all necessity for preliminary correspond
ence touching its merits. ga categori-
cal response would have been,
and still is, impracticable, unjust
to this government and mislead-
ing to the government of her
majesty. Therefore in the Judgment of
the president, the whole subject could
more wisely be remanded to the formal
discussion so near at hand. 1t proper,
however,t to add that any instructions sent
to Bering sea at the time of your original
request, would fail to reach those waters
before the departure of the vessels of
the United States"
The next communication is telegram
from Lord Salisbury to Edwards favor
ing the proposed international agree
ment for a closed season on the sealing
grounds.
In another letter to Edwards, October
I'd, the marquis transmits copies of affi-
dayits bearing on the seizure of the Brit
ish sealers, Black Diamond and Triumph,
by the United States revenue cutter
from these affidavits that the
vessels were seized at distance
from land far in excess of the limit of
the maritime jurisdiction which any
nation can claim by internal law. Cases
similar in these respects were those Of
the ships Caroline, Onward and Thorn
ton, seized by vessel of the United
States outside her territorial waters in
the summer of 1887"
He adds that the illegality of this was
brought to the attention of the United
States, and though no official reply was
made, Bayard gave unofficial assurance
that no more seizures would be made
pending negotiation, and says "But in
view of the unexpected renewal of seiz-
ures, of which her majesty's government
has previously complained, it is my
duty to protest against them and state
that, in the opinion of her majesty's
government, they are wholly unjustifed
by international law"