New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-06
I Ocean, south of the sixtieth parallel of north

zeal IaclS ABOVE given. III IL easy W pio'c HUN
other sources that in the treaty between the United
States and Russia the coast referred to was that
which have defined rs the northwest coast on
the Pacific Ocean south of 50 degrees north lati-
tude, or as the Russians for a long time believed
I it, 80 degrees. 80 minutes. We have IN the
Department of State the originals of the protocols
between our Minister at St Petersburg. Mr. Henry
Middleton, and Count Nesserode, Of Russia, who
negotiated the treaty of 1924. quote as have
quoted in my note of June 80, a memorandum
submitted to Count Ncsselrode by Mr.. Middleton
as part Of the fourth protocol
Now II is clear according to the facts established.
that neither Russia nor any other European power has
the right of dominion upon the continent OF America
between the nfeth and sixtieh degrees Of north at-
tude.
still less has she the dominion Of the adjacent
maritime territory. Of the sea which washes these
Goa sts dominion which is only accessory to The ter
rtoral dominion.
Therefore she has not the right Of exclusion or OF
admission Oh these coasts In these seas. which are
| free seas
The right of navigating all Of the free belongs,
by natural law, TO every independent nation ana even
constitutes essential part Of this independence
The United states have exercised navigation In tho
seas and commerce upon the coasts above mentioned.
from the time Of their Independence and they have
a pcrfcrt r. .t ~ this navigation and to this com
mcrce aud they can only be deprived Of 1t by their
| own act or by a convention.
Mr.. Middleton declares that Russia had not the
| right of dominion upon the continent OF Amer
| lea between the iftieth and sixtieth degrees of
| north latitude" Still less has she the dominion
Of the adjacent maritime territory or the sea
! which washes these coasts" lie further declares
that Russia had not the right of exclusion or Of
| admission on these coasts. nor in these seas,
| which are free seas"-that u.s. the coasts and seas
between the ffteth and sixticth degrees of north
| latitude on the body Of the continent
The following remark Of Mr.. Middleton deserves
| special attention:
| The right Of navigating all free belongs by
natural law, TO every independent nation. and even
constitutes an essential part Of this independence.
This earnest protest by Mr.. Middleton. it will
bc noted was against the Ukase Of Alexander
which proposed 10 extend Russian sovereignty over
the Pacific Ocean rs far south the 5lst degree
| of latitude al which point. Mr.. Adams reminded
| the Russian Minister. that ocean is 1000 miles
| wide II is also 10 be specially noted that Mr..
| Mddlcton's double reference 70 the free seas
would have no meaning whatever If he did not
recognize that freedom certain seas had been
| restricted He could not have used the phrase
if he had regarded all in that region as free
| seas"
| In answer TO my former reference 10 these facts
| lin my note Of June 30 Lord Salisbury makes
| this plea
Mr. Blaine states that when Mr.. Middleton declared
that Russn had no right Of exclusion the coasts Of
America between the nfteth and sixtIeth degrees Of
north lat tudc. nor IN the which washed those
coasts he intended to make distinction between
behring's sca and the Pacific ocean. But reference
To "A map il Will DC seen that the sxteth degree Of
north latitude strikes straight Behring's Sea.
leaving by far the larger and important part Of
il 10 the south that confess Il appears 10 that
by no conceivable construction Of his words can Mr..
Middleton he supposed 10 have excepted that sea from
those which he declared to be free
II His Lordship had examined his map some
what more closely lie would have found my
statement literally correct. When Mr. Middle
ton referred to the continent Of America be
tween the ffticth and siNticth degrees Of north
latitude" il was impossible that he could have
referred TO thr coast Of Hehring Sea- for the very
simple reason that the nftieth degree of latitude
is altogether south Of the Bchring Sen. The fact
that the sNticth parallel strikes straight across
the Bchring Sea- has more pcrtinencc to this
discussion than If His Lorlship had remarked
that the same parallel passes through the Sea Of
OkhotSk. which lies to the west Of lehring Sea-.
lust as the arm of the North Pacific lies 10 the
east Of IT, Mr. Middleton denying Russin 5
dominion upon continuous line of coast upon
the continent between two specified points and
over the waters washing that cOest. There Is
such a continuous lire OF coast between the
fnieth and sXticth degrees on the Pacific Ocean
but there is no such line OF coast on the Bchriag
Sea- even if you measure from the southcrnmoSt
island Of the Acutan chain. In n word. the
argument oil Lord .-11isbury on this point is
based upon a geographical impo,shlty.
But. If there could he any doubt left as
10 what coast and 10 what waters Mr.
Middleton referred. an analysis Of the last
paragraph Of the fourth protocol will dispc
that doubt When Mr. Middleton declared
that the United States have exercised navigation
In the seas and commerce upon the constS above
| mentioned from the time of their independence,
he makes the same declaration that had been pre-
viously made by Mr.. Adams That declaration
could only refer TO the northwest coast. as have
described it, or, as Mr.. Middleton phrases II, the
continent of America between the hftleth and
sixticth degrees Of north latitude
Even HIS Lordship would not dispute the fact
that it was upon this coast and in the waters
washing il that the Cnited States and Great
Britain had exercised free navigation and com
mcrcc continuously since 1854. BY no possibility
could that navigation and commerce have been
In the Rchring Sea Mr.. Middleton close student
of history, ana experienced III diplomacy, coud
not have declared that the United States had
exercised navigation IN the lfhrlhg SEA, ahd
commerce upon It's coasts, from the umc o1
their Independence. As matter Of history, there
WAS no trade and no navigation Except The
navigation of explorers 10y the United States and
Great Britain ia the Bchring Sea IN 1874, or even
at the time these treaties were negotiated. Gap
tain Cooks voyage of exploration ana discovery
through the waters of That sea WAS completrd
al the close of the year las, ana ms voyage 10
4 Inc
until five years after his death, winch or-
cured at the Sandwich Islands on the
lltl of February, 1919. The Priby!oll Islands
were FIRST discovered, ore in 1856 and the other
in 1871 Seals were taken there for few years
aftrryad by the Icbcdci Company, of Russia,
subsequently consolidated into the Russian Amer
lean COMPANY. but the taking of seals on those
islands was then discontinued by the Russians
until 1903. when l. was resumed by the Russian
American Company.
At She time these treaties were negotiated there
was only one settlement and that of Russians.
on the shores of the Irhrlng Sea, ana the only
trading vessels which mad entered that sea were
of. 1o