New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-06


of seals is not all that can be said. Her acqul-
escence in Russias power over the seal fisheries
was so complete that during the forty years OF
Russias supremacy in the Behring Sea THAT fol-
lowed the treaties Of 1s24-'25) it is not believed
that Great Britain even made protest verbal or
written, against what Bancroft describes as the
" Russian monopoly"
A certain degree of confusion and disorganlza-
ton in the form of the government that had eX-
listed in Alaska was the inevitable accompaniment
of the transfer of sovereignty TO the United States
The American title was not made complete until
the money, specified as the price in the treaty.
had been appropriated by Congress and paid 70
the Russian Minister by the Executive Depart
ment of the Government of the United States
This was effected in the latter half of the year
1868. The acquired sovereignty of Alaska car
ried with it by treaty all the rights, franchises
and privileges which had belonged to Russia. A
little more than year after the acquisition, the
United States transferred certain rights 10 the
Alaska Commercial Company over the seal fish
cries of Behring Sea for period of twenty years
Russia had given the same rights besides rights
of still larger scope to the Russian American
Company for three periods of twenty years each,
without protest from the British Government
without a single interference from British ships.
For these reasons this Government again insists
that Great Britain and the United States rccog-
nized, respected, and obcyed the authority of
Russia in the Behring Sea; and did 1t for more
than forty years after the treaties with Russia
were negotiated. II still remains for England to
explain why she persistently violates the same
rights when transferred TO the ownership of the
United States.
l..
follows:
Article II.-With view of preventing the rights OF
navigation and OF fishing exercised upon the Great
Ocean by the citizens and subjects Of the high CON
tracing powers from becoming the pretext for an
Illicit trade it is agreed that the citizens OF the United
states shall not resort TO any point where there Is
Russian establishment, without the permission of the
Governor or commander and that. reciprocally, the
subjects OF Russia shall not resort without permission
to any establishment OF the United States upon tho
Northwest Coast.
The second article of the British treaty is as
follows:
Article lin order TO prevent the rights OF navga
ton and fishing exercised upon the ocean by the sub
ects of the highcontractng parties, from becoming
the prctext for Illicit commerce, it is agreed that
the subjects Of His Britannia Majesty shall not land
at any place where there may be Russian estab-
lshment without the permission. OF the Governor or
commandment: and on the other hand. the Russian
subjects shall not land. without permission, at any
British establishment on the Northwest Coast
In the second articles Of the treaties il is recoc-
nized that both the United States and Great
Britain have establishments on the "northwest
coast" and as neither country ever claimed any
territory north OF the siXtieth parallel of ati-
tude we necessarily have the meaning of the
northwest coast significantly defined in exact ac-
cordance with the American contention.
An argument, altogether historical in its char
acter, is of great and, think, conclusive force
touching this question. 1t will he remembered
that the treaty of October 20, 1918, between the
United States and Great Britain comprised a vari-
ETY. of topics, among others, in Article 3, the foo
lowing:
1t is agreed. that any country that may be claimed
by either party the northwest coast of America
westward of the Stony Mountains, shall, together with
It's harbors bays and creeks and the navigation Of
all rivers within the same be free and open. for the
term Of ten years from the date Of the signature OF the
present convention TO the vessels citizens ana SUB
jects Of the powers 1t being understood. that TINS
agreement Is not to be construed to the prejudice Of
any claim, which either Of the two high con
tracing parties may have TO part Of the said coun
try nor shall it be taken to affect the claims OF any
other power state 10 any part Of the said country
the only object OF the high contracting parties In that
respect, being to prevent disputes and difference,
among themselves.
While this article placed upon common basis
for ten years the rights Of Great Britain ana
America on the northwest coast, IL made no a.
iustnent OF the claims OF Russia on the north or
of Spain on the south, which ar" referred 10 IN
the article as ANY other power or State
Russia had claimed down 10 latitude 81 dcQces
under the Ukase Of 1890. SPAN had claimed
indefinitely northward from the forty-second
parallel of latitude. But all the Spanish claims
had been transferred 10 the United states by the
treaty Of 1919, and Russ had been 80 quiet until
the Ukase of 1921 that no conflict was feared.
But after that Ukase a settlement, either per
manent temporary, was npcrativcly demanded.
The proposition made by Mr.. Adams which
now quote shows, / think, beyond all doubt. that
the dispute wholly thching the northwest
coast on the Pacific Ocean. | make the following
quotation from Mr. Adams's instruction to Mr..
Middleton, our Minister at ST. Petersburg the
22d Of July, s23
by the treaty Of the ed Of February, 1919 with
Span the United states acquired all the rights u
Spain north OF latitude ~ degrees and by the third
article Of the convention between the United states
and Great Britain Of the goth Of october 1915 1t
agreed that any country that might be claimed by
either party the northwest coast OF America, Yves,
ward Of the Stony Mountains, should together with IL
harbOrs, bays and creeks, and the navigation Of ali
rivers within the same, be free aud 0pcn for the term
of ten years that date, 10 the vessels citizens and
subjects of the two powers without prejudice 70 the
claims of either party or Of any other state
You authorized to propose an article OF the same
import for a term Of ten years from the signature Of
a Joint convention between the United States Great
Britain and Russia.
Instructions Of the same pnrport were sent by
the same mail TO Mr.. Rush, our Minister al London,
in order that the proposition should he completely
understood by each Of the three powers The
confident presumption was that This proposition
would as a temporary settlement. be acceptable
10 all parties. But before there time for
full consideration Of the proposition, either by
Russia or Great Britain, President Monroe in
December S23, proclaimed his famous doctrine
of excluding future European colonies from this
continent. Its effect on all European nations
holding unsettled or disputed claims TO territory
was to create desire for prompt settlement. 50
that each power could be assured of It's own,