Huntsville gazette., 1891-06-20
THE MODUS vfvENDI.

Closed Sealing Season in Conformity
with the Agreement Reached Between
| the United States and Great Britain and
| Signed by the Representatives of the
Two Powers.
WASHINGTON, June 16.-The follow
| ing proclamation was issued at o'clock,
| yesterday:
WHEREAS, An agreement for a modus
| vivendi between the government of the
United States and the government of her
| Brittanlo majesty In relation to the fur
| seal fisheries in Behrlng sea was concluded
| on the 18th day of June, IN the year of our
| Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine
ty-one, word for word as follows:
For the purpose of avoiding Irritating
! differences, and with view to promote the
| friendly settlement of the questions pending
between the two governments touching
their respective rights in Behring sea- and
| for the preservation of the seal species, the
| following agreement is made without preju-
| dice to the rights or the claims of either
| party:
l. Her majesty's government will prohibit,
until May next, all seal killing in that part
| OF Behring sea lying eastward of the line OF
| demarcation described In Article No. 1 of
| the treaty of 1867 between the United States
and Russia, and will promptly it's best
efforts to insure the observance of this pro-
hibition by British subjects and vessels
2. The United States government will pro-
hibit seal killing for the same period in the
same part of Behring sea and on the shores
and islands thereof, the property of the
United States lin excess of 1900, to be taken
on the islands for the subsistence and care
OF the natyes), and will promptly use its
| best efforts to insure the observance of this
prohibition by United States citizens and
vessels.
3. Every vessel or person offending against
/ oh inf I,a ~ nah
| sea. outside of the ordinary territorial limits
of the United States, may be seized and de-
tanned by the naval or other duly commits
stoned officers of either of the high contract
Ing parties, but they shall be handed over as
soon as practicable to the authorities of the
| nation to which they respectively belong,
who shall alone have jurisdiction to try the
offense and impose the penalties for the
same. The witnesses and proofs necessary
to establish the offense shall also be sent
with them.
4. In order to facilitate such proper in
Quiries as her maJesty's government may
desire to make, with a view to the presenta
tion of the case of that government before
arbitrators, and in expectation that an
agreement for arbitration may be arrived
| at, it is agreed that suitable persons desig
mated by Great Britain will be permitted al
any time, upon application. to visit or to re-
| main upon the seal Islands during the pres
Signed and scaled in duplicate at Wash
| ington, this fifteenth day of June 1891, on be-
half of their respective governments, by
William F. Wharton, acting secretary of
| state of the United States, and Sir Julian
| Pauncefote. G. G. NJ. G., X. G. b., III. b. NJ, en-
| voy extraordinary and minister plenipoten-
tiary.
lSeal WILLIAM +. WHARTON
(Seall JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.
Now, therefore, be 1t known that /, Bsnja-
min Harrison, president of the United States
of America, have caused the said agreement
| to be made public to the end that the same
and every part thereof may be observed and
fulfill ed in good faith by the United States
of America and the citizens thereof.
In witness whereof I haze hereunto set
my hand, and caused the seal of the United
States TO be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington. this 18th
day of June, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and ninety one,
and of the independence of the United States
the one hundred and fifteenth.
[Seall BENJAMIN HARRISON.
By the President: VIM. f. Wharton, Acting
Secretary of State.
The Terms of the Agreement to be RigoR-
ously Enforced.
WASHINGTON, June 16. = Secretary
Foster yesterday afternoon telegraphed
| Capt. Hooper, commanding the revenue
steamer Corwin, at San Francisco, to
proceed with all possible dispatch to the
Pribyloff islands with copies of the
presidents proclamation for distribu-
ton to interested parties, commanders
| of all United States and British war or
| revenue vessels, and then proceed to
enforce the provisions of the proclama-
| ton.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Soley said last night that the United
States men-of-war Thetis, Alert and
Mohican would sail Immediately for
| the sealing waters to prevent the
further catching of seals this season,
as agreed upon by the United States
| and Great Britain yesterday.