Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-08
THE BEnRIxo SEA NATTER.
Secretary Blaine Accepts ex-secretary
Bayard's Plan,

Bayard's Plan.
| Commenting editorially upon the Presi.
dents message to Congress Monday upon
the Behring Sea matter the New York
Times to-day says. Mr. Blaines letter Of
December 18th, 1890 TO the British minis
ter puts new face upon the Alaska seal
question, opens the way to Just and SEN
sible settlement of our dispute with Great
Britain. and sends grim-visaged war some
what more than 20 marine leagues to
the rear; This fortunate state Of affairs
comes about by reason OF Mr. Blaine's late,
but practically complete, adoption of the
views and policy of Mr.. Bayard, his pre-
decessor in the office of Secretary of State
In the month of August, 1877, Mr.. Bay
ard proposed to the governments of Ger
many, Sweden, Norway, Russia and Japan
an agreement for international co-opera-
tion" IN supplying better protection for
the fllr-seal fisheries in Behring Sea-
This proposal was amplified and the out
lines OF the agreement were sketched in
Mr.. Bayard's letter to Minister Phelps.
Lord Salisbury cordially assented to the
suggestion that such an agreement be
negotiated, and the seal fisheries dispute
was in fair way to speedy settlement
When the entrapment of Lord Sackyille-
West by Republican campaign agents
abruptly closed the correspondence.
MT; Blame now proposes, precisely as
Mr.. Bayard did, that it shall be deter
mined whether international regulations
for the better protection of seal life shall
moi, be adopted This question is the sixth
and last of the series which Mr.. Blaine
offers to submit to arbitration. But it is
the most important of the six, and his
manner of stating it leaves it to be inferred
that he has little confidence in decision
favorable to the Blaine view upon the
other live, all of which involve the ques-
tion OF our exclusive jurisdiction in the
waters of Behring Sea beyond the marine
league, and of the rights, be the same
greater or less, derived by us from Russia,
our predecessor is title
Mr., Blaines abandonment of his own
clustering contentious concerning our
rights IN those waters is well-nigh as COM
plete as his acceptance of Mr.. Bayard's
plan for closing the dispute Having been
often reminded of Mr.. Adams denial of
Russia claims sixty-fve years ago, he no
longer insists that we conceded Russia's
right to forbid foreign vessels entering the
waters of Alaska, but only that we, as well
as Great Britain, ''acquiesced'' in the fact
OF their exclusion by Russia. He no longer
contends that the United States must hold
Behring Sea to be mare clausum. Far from
It. He ''disayows" the idea, except "to
the limited extent and for the single pur-
pose" OF protecting the seals. The neces-
hty OF shifting his ground so often and of
A'A place. W JUMP
SO soon as one untenable position must be
abandoned for another has prevented his
observing. the important fact that if he
gives up the mare clausum contention he
gives up everything. Russia in the c2ar's
ediet Of 1921, forbade foreign vessels to ap-
proach the Aleutian Islands within less
than 100 miles, and in February, 1922.
her minister explained that THE extent |
OF sea of which these possessions
form the limits comprehends all the CON
ultions which are ordinarily attached to |
shut seas liners fernlees), and the Russian |
Government might consequently Judge |
itself authorized to exercise upon this sea |
The right of sovereignty, and especially |
That OF entirely interdieting the entrance |
Of foreigners; but it preferred only assert |
ing its essential rights without taking adj |
vantage of localities" Obviously, IL we
claim a right transmitted by Russia we
must claim and exercise it in its entirety, |
Dr. not at all.
Now that Mr. Blaine has abandoned his
1wn personal plans for an assault upon the |
british lion and has made propositions for
he adjustment of the dispute by impartial
arbitration, it is to be hoped that Lord
salisbury will meet the offer in friendly
plrit and help Mr.. Blaine TO put the cues
Ion once more upon the favorable footing
hat it had reached when Mr.. Bayard was
compelled to hand it over, with the office. to
he present Secretary of State.