Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-24
l,le.s.s II III. decision is adverse TO the

States Secretary Of State. when be protest.
| ed against Russia's exclusive claim.
DEFECTIVE, ERRONEOUS. AND MIsLEAprSo.
| Replying TO this. Blaine says: The
| quotation il unfortunately most defectvc,
erroneous, and misleading. The conclu-
sion il separated from the premise, q COM
ma turned INTO a period. an important
| qualification as 10 time entirely omitted
without even suggestion that II had ever
| formed part of the text, and out OF eighty
| four words logically and inecparably con-
nectcd tbirty-five have been dropped from
the Adams paragraph in the quotation"
| He then gives the connected quotation
| from Adams. showing that he conceded
Russian rights TO the islands north OF the
ffty-fiftb degree. Blaine says that upon
these words the United States founded us
agreement in this case and that "conclu-
| sions or differences resting upon para
| graph with the material parts omitted are
| Of course valueless.'
ALASKAN HISTORY.
Following Is an extensive resume of
Alaskan history, intended to demonstrate
| that from the Russian exclusion ukase OF
| 1893 down through oil the subsequent
| treaties made between England and Rus
STA. there was distinct recognition of the
| exclusive right of the latter jurisdiction
| in Behring's Sea for a distance of one hun
bred miles from the coast, and that the
! United States protest in the early part of
the century was not against this night but
against territorial claims on the northwest
coast. Blaine further says that whatever
duty England owed Alaska rs n Russian
province was not changed by transfer to
| the United States. He. therefore, asks
whence Canadian vessels derive the right
TO do in 1856 what they had refrained from
doing for ninety years. how England de
4 - = L.. nj .C
that, "an act may be committed with I'M
punity against the rights of the United
States, which had never been attempted
against the same rights when held by Rus
STA :"
"GRAvE INJUSTICE" ToTHIs COUNTRY.
In the last letter. dated July 10Th. Blaine
denies that he has gathered erroneous I'M
pressions: says that Minister Phelps, who
cabled Salisbury's assurance" Is an able
and accurate lawyer. in the correctness OF
whose dispatches the United States reposes
implicit confidence. But, waving that
| pOint. Blaine asks adherence 10 the agree
ment made between Salisbury and Phelps
February Is, 1883. He refuses TO qualify
his statement that the London negotia-
tions were closed because the Canadian
Government objected as stated by Salls-
bury himself and closes rs follows: Inc
interpOsition of the wishes OF BRUSH
province against the conclusion OF con
ventiOn between the two nations, Whlch,
according TO Mr.. Phelps, had been virtu-
ally agreed upon except "a 10 details. was,
in the Presidents belief, grave injustice
TO the Government OF the United States.
INDISPENSABLE CONDITIONS FROM BRrTAIS.
To Blaine's suggestion OF proclamation,
by the British Government that British
vessels shall not enter Behring Sea during
the coming season. Salisbury replies
through Pauncefote that there are three
conditions on which 1t is Indispensable IN
the view of her Majestv's Government
that the issue of the proposed proclama-
ton should bo based, These are;
/. That the two Governments agree
forthwith TO refer to arbitration the cues,
ton of legality of the action of the United
States Government in Selling or otherwise
interfering with British vessels engaged In
the Behring Sea outside of territorial wa
tiers during the years of 1856, 1897, and 1889.
2 That, pending award, oil interference
With British sealing vessels shall absolutely
cease.
3 That the United States Government,
! If the award should be adverse to them on
| the question of loyal right, will compen-
| safe British subjects Tor losses which they
may sustain by reason of their compliance
with the British proclamation.
On the last of June Blaine addressed the
| British Minister very long letter IN
answer 10 Salisbury's communication, IN
which the latter stated that Secretary
| John Quincy Adams had protested against
| Russia's claim to exclusive jurisdiction
| over Behring Sea.
| Blaine quotes Salisbury's version of what
| Adams said and in juxtapositlon produces
Adamss full text as he wrote 1t:
| sAIIsBuRYs QUOTATION FROM ADAMS.
/ rpl nj
| of these claims. Their right of navigation
and fishing is perfect and has been IN con-
slant exercise from the earliest times
| throughout the whole extent of the South
| ern Ocean. subject only to the ordinary eX-
| ceptions and exclusions of the territorial
| jurisdictions"
FULL TEXT OF ADAMs's PARAGRAPH.
| "The United States can admit no part
| of these claims. Their right of navigation
and of fishing is perfect and has been in
constant exercise from the earliest times
after the peace of 1873 throughout
tho whole extent Of the Southern Ocean.
subject only 10 the ordinary exceptions
and exclusion of the territorial Iurisdlc-
| ton. tchich so far as Russian rights are con-
| c1lef are confined 10 certain islands north OF
The fffy-ffh deqrte Of latitude and hdce no ernst
egce on ne continent Of america"
Blaine saws =" The words IN italics are
those which are left out OF the Adams
paragraph in the dispatch of Lord Sails
bnry, They are precisely the words upon
which the Government OF the United
States POUNDS its argument IN this case.
blaine REVIEWS NEGOTIATIONS.
The Secretary reviews the negotiations
ending in the treaty of 1925 by which the
respective claims of the United States.
| Great Britain, and Russia 10 the territory
| IN the northwest were adjusted, by which
! England, as he saws consented TO such
| total exclusion from Behrlng Sea as 10
\ forego following her own river Yukon 70
| its mouth in that sea. Says he: IL
| shows curious association OF politi-
| cal events that in the Washington
| treatv az 1871 tina United States conceded
| TO Great Britain the privilege of navigating
! the Yukon and its branch, the Porcupine'
1 10 Behring Sea, in exchange for certain
privileges conceded to the United States
on the ST. Lawrence The request OF Great
Britain for the privilege Of navigating on
the Yukon and the Porcupine suggests
confession that II was withheld rom her
hy Russia in the treaty OF lS25-wlihheid
because the rivers flowed 10 the behrlhg
Sea.
Elsewhere in this communication Blame
writes 4: The result of the protest of Adams
was followed by the cooperation OF breaI
Britain TO force Russia back TO 54:4O as her
| southern boundary. But there was no re-
nunciation whatever ON the part of Rus
sia as TO Behring Sea, to which the ukase
especially and primarily applied. Both the
United States aud Great Britain recog-
nized it. respected it, and o6eyed It.
IL did not, "a so many do, declare Beh-
ring Sea to be mare c.duSaeDa IL declares
| that the waters 10 the extent OF 100 miles
| from the shores were reserved tor the SUD-
| jects of Russia.
In 1913. in commercial treaty between
Russia and Great Britain, i'll the. supple
mental articles. the rights under the ukase