The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-01-09
WAR WITH ENGLAND.
,,c Is Il Cloud In tho Eastern
horizon that had its Brit" IN the
Bchrlng Sea.
o,r 1HREATENIN TALK

vs,,xcroy. D. c., January S.-The
;aor, to-day transmitted 70 the House
= representatives further correspondence
.snb;ect of the Behring sea contro-
80. he.vccn the United States and
1884,, Rritain. The presidents message
:. altogether formal aud merely states
49,. :, response to a resolution OF the
,,.,se of Representatives he transmits the
correspondence called for. a letter from
secretary Rlainc also accompanies the
.os,ondence. but it is purely one oil
transmiita!.
Tho correspondence transmitted by the
osidcpt is made up of two very long
,,.,.r. and . number of enclosures, COM
..;s;,, treaties. notes. and extracts from
'..x,ou. correspondence which Mr.. Blaine
cav. concludes the correspondence touch-
:n. the far-scal question up to date.
One Of these letters is from Lord Sails
,rr, 10 Sir Julian Paunccfotc, the British
Minister. dated August ,. 1890, and the
o,t.r WAS addressed 10y Mr.. Blaine to the
R-;tish Minister December II, last.
Lord Salshury's letter is confined to Il
,;.crssion of the Russian ukasc and the
treaty Of ISIS. He argues that Blaine
has misinterprctcd Mr.. Adams position,
aud declares that the history of the case
,bowsi tina, England always denied Russia 5
claim OF maritime Jurisdiction in Bchring
tho, the convention of $50 was 4
r.uunciation of that claim, and BchrinS
.es was moi then known by that name,
Nm, az a part of the Pacific ocean. He
,l,ses With the statement that II differ
.uces still exist his Government Is ready
for impartial arbitration OF those ditleren-
eos liz methods TO lac agreed upon Ill con-
cord with Mr. Blaine.
POSITION or THIS COUNTRY.
Secretary Blanc's letter begins with
an iusisiancc upon the correctness OF
IN. uosition assumed by the United States.
He believes that the controversy turns
unop one point-viz.. whether the phrase
"paci6c ocean" used in the treaties OF
I-aI and $50 include Behring sea, rs con-
tended hy Great Britain. If the United
States can prove the contrary her case Is
comnlctc and undeniable. Therefore,
Blaine enters into AN exhaustive argument
based on Bancroft history and maps TO
show that Adams aud his contemporaries
hid distinct understanding that the
phrasc Pacific ocean" excluded the
waters of Behrng sea, then known to all
the world as the sea of kamschatka.
The Secretary points to the large wealth
of the Russian American Company, which,
he saws would have been carciessly thrown
svsybv the Russian nobility in II phrase
which merged Behring sea in the Pacific
ocean. he cites the long years OF abstl-
ncnce from the seal waters by the adven-
turous people OF the United States and
Great Britain a presumption OF their
lack of right 10 enter.
As stronger evidence of his correctness.
Mr.. Blaine cites protocols OF the treaty OF
1871 To show that Russia REIMBURSEMENT
Of jurisdiction applied only to the territory
between the ffte,h and siXtieth degrees;
also an explanatory note from Russia 10
Mr. Adams in 1924, positively excepting
the !.leutian islands and the country OF
itty-ninc degrees three minutes from the
concession to the United States of the
right To FISH and trade.
He also cites the action of Great Brit
ain excluding vessels from the waters
within eight leagues OF St. Helena when
Napolcan was confined there, and again
refers to the protection exercised over
ME Ccyon pearl fisheries hy Great Brit
ain saving that he is willing to accept
those provisions for the protection of the
sealh>hrries.
He Speaks OF the enormous injury inilict-
ed by vessels under the British flag upon
United States fisheries, and suggests that
she send an intelligent commissioner to
the seal islands.
THt PROPOSED ARBITRATION OBJECTED TO.
Again he objects to the form OF the pro-
posed arbitration. and saws il will amount
10 something tangible il Great Britain will
consent to arbi,ratc the real questions
discussed for the last four wears to- wit;
Ia, were the rights exercised by Russia
In Behrius sea. How far were they con-
celed by Great Britain? Was Bchring sea
included in the Pacific ocean! Did not the
United States acquire all of Russia 5
rights: What are the present rights OF the
United States: And il the concurrence of
Great Britain is found necessary, then
what shall he The protected limits aud the
close season.
Secretary Blaine, in conclusion, denies
that the tuted States ever claimed Behr-
Ing sea 10 hea closed sea, and quotes Min
lsieT Phelps in lSeS, where lie says the
question Is not applicable to the present
care.