The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-08
THE SEIZURE or TIE LEWIS.
Its Possible Isauesee on the Attituae ei
Rassia Toward the Behrinx Ses Disputs

THE SEIZURE OF THE LEWiS
Its Possible Iaaus.es on the Attituae ef
Rassia Toward the Bshrinx sss Dispute.
WASHINGTON. Sept THE capture OF an
American schooner by . Russian war ship 10
Behring Sea Is On incident OF the seal hunting
controversy which had hardly been taken into
account In the previous speculntioas on the
subject. Had the victim boon British Column
bian schooner the affair might have become
still moro important. since Great Britain
might contest right OF capture which any
Government under its own doctrine and prac-
tice would have to concedc But the incident
may lead to ths disclosure Of Russ.a's views
upon tho BebrtnE Sea dispute. and also to her
participation In the n,odls rirendi agreement.
or. at least. in the subselu snt arrar Remsnts
between Great Britain aud tho Unitsd States
for the protection OF the oeals from extsrmina-
tion.
Several weeks ago It was asser.sined tbGt
many Of the scaling schooIers, on being
warned BY the Government vessels not to
cnter DebrinG Sea, made for the western side
c! that sea In or!sr to continue operations
the,e. Tie PROHIBITION contained 10 .ae
modus rirraIi agreement. and the p-oclaE:a-
tons foundei thereon expressly mentioned
tho boundary line OF the Rnsso-Am rican
treaty OF 1867 rs TO ming tho western limit OF
Inc IOTDIuQ0u WHteTS, leuNl1E 10 ichI VI HotS,
tation by American or British war vessels be-
tween that boundary and the Russian sho:c.
On that side OF the limo Russia has the Copper
Islands. which, next 10 the Piihyov nre the
most important resort OF the seals and have
habi:ually been under icsse. white Russia pro-
tects her lessees in their exclusive privileges
BY s;atoninx one or more gGnboats in TINT
vicinity during the summer. Two cruisers arc
said to have been sent up from the Asia!!s
squadron for that PURPOSE this year
As the account runs large number OF Bet
ish Columbian and American scaling schoon.
srs infested the region OF the Copper Islands.
attacking tho seals on their way lhi,her. and
PC: haps also whea they swan out q long dis
lance from the islands. As is their custom TO
procure food for their young. Not content
With this. some OF these vessels draw close to
The Islands ana sent their bbats ashore to XIII
the seals there. TINS performance Is usually
carried on under cover OF the darkness or the
logs. tue an mails being Killed with cIubs. 30 as
ON cue such occasion the Russian police force
took the alarm and poured voey into me
,"n IN IN he SanI asI i knee Jhs boas hastily
pulled away 10 their v-sSe!e. which were wait
ing for tnen, aud thu VESSELS then hurried on to
the place whore they were accustomed TO lie in
wait about dozen miles rom the isla lds But
the russians were exusprrated, and the next
sa:ied three yes sells which she was approach
iig started off. "rowdnS on al sail. probably
vioIa,ion OF III" law Witch would Subject them INTO to
the scveres: penalties In their eaGernsss to
sssaEe they paid /, 10 p attention to TIE b,snk
that at length she let fy q shot ut one Of them
which shattered her Lowsprit and brought her
American vessel. and tie other Two craft. one
Of whith was British schooner. saw her
This is not tie ilrst time that the arrest Of
sealing schooners in these waters by the Rus.
sian has been reported. But on the previous
hapn in
the statements as 20 the clrc stances and re-
suits Of the alleged seizures. which have made
stance. however, the significant fact is that
the capture was certa inly effected many miles
ss fsaoas Which %"ad sdfs mt RS
sian Ella. ,nr!sdctt"n.excen on the assqnItinn that
clouded By the fact that some OF the vessels
that ran away had been robbinu the islands.
of '1 he er ps Which possibly sds be Ssss
admit. q pursuing 2 gross yioiaior Of the law
ecross he three. mile limit into tie high seas.
ian inference from this particular at t tS
s5n half OF behrnx Sea That shs once made
Is noticeable that she has hitherto been con:
has not lad her war ships cru sing scores Of
miles from her mainland and islands. aud
r.venue cutters have done on tie eastern side
Of the seq. Even in this present case OF the
Lewis It Is shown that the sealing schooners
,lpon the Copper Islands. until they had &c.
tuRlly landed on them.
Still the legal proceedings or the Diplomatic
develop Russia's real position on the Behrinc
Sea question. Every motive OF sell. Interest in
instructive sympathy In siding with our coun-
try against England. her rival IN aggrandize.
purport OF the treaty OF 1867. would aprsrsntly
prompt her to adopt. II not the old doctrine OF
mare c'nusu'p. at least the Blame mod ifcAtion
OF police jurisdiction to certain extent beyond
the marine league. for specific PURPOSES.
including the protection OF the seal rooIeries
and OF the animals themselves.