Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-08
BEHRING SEA.
Additional Correspondence Sent to
the House.
VIEWS OF BLAINE and SALISBURY.
The Question Turning on the Point Whether
BehrlnG Sea is a Part of the Pacific
Ocean-No Extreme Position
Advanced

has sent to the House, in response to
its recent resolution, the correspond
ence between the State Department and
the British Government in regard to the
Behring sea controversy. 1t consists
merely of two letters, one from Lord
Salisbury to ne British Minister, reply
ing to Mr.. Blaine's last letter, which
was given to the public during last ses-
sion of Congress, and the response
written by Mr.. Blaine on December II,
1890. Both letters, however, are eX-
tremely long and accompanied by nu-
merous historical documents, making
in the full correspondence presented to
the House some forty foolscap
pages of closely printed matter.
The first letter from Lord Sails
bury to Minister Pauncefote is dated
August 2, 1890. After quoting from the
Adams correspondence and from the
treaties by the three Powers and other
official documents relating to the status
of Behring sea, he says that the extracts
show conclusively:
1. That England refused to admit any
part of the Russian claim asserted by
diction and the exclusive right of fish
ing throughout the whole extent of
waters from Behring straits to the
Fifty-frst parallel.
2. That the commission of 1925 was
regarded on both sides as remuneration
of the Russian claim in its entirety.
8. That though Behring straits were
known and specifically provided for,
Behring sea was known by that name,
but was regarded as apart of the Pacific
ocean. The answer, therefore, to the
question with which Mr.. Blaine con-
cludes his dispatch is that her Majesty's
Government has always claimed the
freedom of fishing or navigating Behr-
ing sea outside the territorial limit of
one marine league from the coast; that
it is impossible to admit that a public
right to fish, catch seal or pursue any
other occupation on the high seas can
be held to be abandoned by nation
from the mere fact that for a certain
number of years it has not suited the
subjects of that nation to exercise it.
Mr.. Blaine's letter in response, dated
December II, 1890, begins by saying
that it is the opinion of the President
that the subject, like many legal ques-
tious, though complicated, depends on
the statement of one single point. Great
Britain contends that the Pacific ocean
does include Behring sea and the United
States holds the reverse. He holds that
Behring sea was understood at the time
of the treaty by the three Powers not to
be included in the phrase, Pacific
ocean," and if this be true, then the
case of the United States against Great
Britain is a good one. He then pro-
ceeds at great length to quote from the
documents relating to the negotiations
and consummation of the treaty of the
three Powers in question, and from
other documents bearing upon the sub
ject.
Mr. Blaine closes a very long COM
munication with suggestions apparently
favorable to meeting the arbitration
already held out by the British Govern
ment. He states that the United States
only wants control of the waters of the
Behring sea as will be sufficient to in
sure the protection of her seal fisheries,
which he deems already injured posi-
bly, to an irreparable extent by the in
trusion of Canadian vessels, un-
der British colors; that the
Presidents recent annual message
to Congress contained suggestions
that the form of arbitration proposed
would be satisfactory to no one. He
then suggests that the following points
are the ones which have been at issue
for four years-the Russian jurisdiction
of the Behring sea up to the time Of the
concession of Alaska to the 6nited
States; how Great Britain considers
these claims; how Behring sea was con-
sidered in the treaty of 1925, and what
rights were given or received under that
treaty; what the rights of the United
States now are, and out of what they
grew.
If these questions could be deter
mined, then Secretary Blaine suggests
that it shall be further determined how
far, If at all, outside the ordinary terri
torial limits Is it necessary that the United
States should exercise an exclusive jur-
isd;ction, in order to protect the seal for
the time liring. upon the islands of the
United States and feeding tfer"from;
whether the closed season is necessary;
what months shall be included in such