The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-01
BEHRING SEA DISPUTE.
The United States and England
Arrange a MOdus Vivendi.
Sealing to be Practically Stopped
for a Year.


President Harrison issued proclamation
in which he announced that the United
States and Great Britain have reached an
agreement with respect to the closed season
in Bebring Sea.
He also addressed communications to the
Secretaries Of the Navy and Treasury De-
parSments in which he called their atten-
ton to the modus vivendi adopted. The
Secretary Of the Treasury will send instruc-
tions Immediately to the revenue cutters
Bear, Corwin and Rush, and the Secretary
of the Navy will communicate with the
commanders of the cruisers at the San
Francisco rendezvous, where the British
men-of-war will meet them.
The provisions of the modus vivendi which
is announced to be for the purpose of pre-
venting Irritating differences, and to pro.
mote the friendly settlement OF the claims OF
the two Governments in thu Behring Sea, is
as follows:
Whereas, An agreement for a modus vi.
vendi between the Government OF the United
States and the Government Of Her Britain
mic Majesty in relation to the fur seal fish
cries in Behring Sea was concluded on the
18th day of June in the year Of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and ninety-one,
word for word as follows:
Agreement between the Government OF
the United States and the Government OF
Her Britannia Majesty for modus vivendl
IN relation to the fur seal fisheries in Behring
Sea.
For the purpose of avoiding irritating diff.
ferences and with q view to promote the
friendly settlement Of the questions pending
between the two Governments touching their
re~l,s -, pal ov,l For. ho
preservation OF the seal Species the follow
ing agreement is made without prejudice to
the rights OF claims of either party
" Her Majesty's Government viii pro
k!5it until May next seal-Iilling in that part
of Behring Sea lying eastward Of the line Of
demarcation described in Article No. OF
the Treaty Of 1867 between the United
States and Russia, and will promptly use its
best efforts to insure the observance OF
this prohibition by British subjects and YES
sells.
e, That the United States Government
will prohibit seal-killing for the same period
shores and islands thereo', the property OF
the United States lin excess of 750y to be
taken on the islands for the subsistence and
care of the natives) and will promptly use
its best efforts to insure the observance Of
this prohibition by United States citizens
and vessels.
81 Every vessel or person offending
against this prohibition in the said
waters of Behring Sea outside OF the
ordinary territorial limits of the United
States may be seized and detained
officers of either of the high contracting
parties, but they shall be handed over as
soon as practicable to the authorities of the
nation to which they respectively belong,
who shall alone have jurisdiction to try the
offence and impose the penalties for the
same. The witnesses and proofs necessary
to establish the offence shall also be sent
with them.
tf In order to facilitate such proper in
quiries as Her Majesty's Government may
desire to make, with the view to the presen'
tation of the case of that Government before
arbitrators, and in expectation that an
agreement for arbitration may be arrived
at, it is agreed that suitable persons desig.
mated by Great Britain will be permitted at
any time, upon application to visit or to re.
main upon the seal islands during the pres
ent sealing season for that purpose.
Signed and sealed in duplicate at Wash
ington this fifteenth day of June, 1891, on
behalf OF their respective Governments by
William F. Wharton, Acting Secretary OF
State OF the United States, and Sir Julian
VI.
NJ, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary.
WILLIEMF. WHARTON (seaD.
JULIAN PAUNCEFoTE (seah.
Now, therefore, be it known that |, Benja
| min Harrison, President of the United States
! of America, have caused the said agreement
to be made public to the end that the same
ard every part thereof may be observed AMI
| fulfilled with good faith by the United States
OF America and the citizens thereof.
In witness whereof, have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal Of the United
States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this fif-
teenth day OF June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and ninety-one,
| and of the independence of the United
States the One hundred and fifteenth
(SeaD BENZ. HARRISON,
By the President,
WILLIAM F. WHARTON, Acting Secre,
tary Of State.
/ Inc Behrlng Sea correspondence was made
! public by the Department of State that same
afternoon. The correspondence begins with
, letter from Sir Julian Pauncefote in reply
to one from Secretary Blaine, dated May 4.
In Sir Julian's letter one OF the stipulatlons
| was that the proposed agreement should not
take effect unless Russia gave her consent.
~ -Cpiy " IulS IL was SSu ludt SuSu u
! delay would thwart tn. purposes intended,
az by the time Russia's consent would be OBJ
tanned it would be too late IL was a,so
oontondad that Russia never claimed any
RIGHTS in the part of the sea under discus
sion. .h,t pua-
e;a,s consent bs obtained. He expressed
coma Doubt as to whether this Government
would limit the catch to 75O) seals Actlng
Secretary Wharton then wrote tnat nat
Lord Salisbury would surely r. not
question the good faith OF tne uUv 5
ernment in limiting the caec1' uut
egraad that Great Britain could send q rep
resantatiye to the Islands to seclre evidence
by which to properly present her case: .u
A number OF other proposals and counter.
nronosals followed, and finally tho modus
viyendi as above was agreed upon oy repre-
sentatives of both Governments.