New-York tribune., 1891-05-09
WHAT WILL ENGLAND DO?
,oRp SALISBURY is RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
EVIL CONDITIONS IN BEHRING SEA.
,,r WAS URGED TO AGREE TO TOTAL SUP.
PRESTON OF SEAL KILLING TWO MONTHS
AGO NOW THE PIRATES ARE
SAFELY OFF TO SEA.

SAFELY OFF TO SEA.
Washington, May 5.-Much has been printed by
that extraordinary anti-American section OF the
Democratic press which has served British in
forests so faithfully and contemptibly in the
matter of the Behring Sea scaling controversy
concerning an alleged proposition said to have
come from Lord Salisbury to Mr.. Blaine, and said
70 contemplate an entire cessation of sea-catchlng
whether on land in the water, pending the re-
,ut Of the arbitration proceedings already agreed
TO- Ii is represented that such a step as this
was found TO be necessary by the American eX-
merit Henry w. Elliott who was sent to the
scal islands last summer, and that he reported
n the American Government in favor OF total
prohibition of seal killing 1t is alleged that MI
Elaine suppressed this report in the interest OF the
Prvbiloff lessees, but that the English Govern
uent, learning it's purport, voluntarily offered TO
restrain the Canadian poachers If the
United States would restrain its lessees.
II is declared that Mr.. Elaine, at the
instance of the leSseeS, refused to entertain
Lord Salsbury's proposition, though the same
napers in which all these statements have appeared
are now limiting that the Secretary, having been
bv them thus exposed, has now intimated his
Willingness to accept the BRUSH proposluoh' anu
is preparing for a closed season.
III.
mits himself to be interviewed, never answers
attacks pays no attention to the lies Of partisan
journals, but simply rests his reputation on his
record satisfied that the exact fact will in due time
appear to vindicate him and TO confuse his enc
mics 1t is ascertained, however, from sources
that are not open TO question that so 1ar as
there is any truth in the stories above mentioned
their order and effect must be exactly reversed The
truth is that the proposition for closed season
came not from Lord Salisbury, but from Secre-
tary Blaine; that il was made as much as TWO
months ago; that the delay in accepting 1t was
on the part. not of Mr. Blaine, but of Lord
Salisbury; that at last the British government
has indicated its willingness to agree to the PROPOSE
tion; but that Mr.. Blaine is now compelled to
consider whether this assent has not come al
time too late to be of any avail.
Tn other words the statements of these anti
American Journals, are falsehoods pure and simple.
Mr. EIiotts report was not suppressed. IL was
addressed. as Congress had directed, not to the
Secretary of State, but TO the Secretary of the
Treasury 1t was not called for by Congress, but
its essential character became quickly known. That
H. recommended total cessation of seal-killlng
both on the islands and in Behring Sea was given
out at the time it was made. For most excellent
reasons the subject being one of grave interna-
ti56aT importance many of his statements OF fact
were kept secret. They impaired information
which was a total surprise TO the Government.
II was at variance with all the official reports
that the Government had previously received,
and il was denied substantially by the North
America Commercial Company, the lessees.
Further Investigations could not be made until
this season, and they are now being made. Mr..
Elliott's statements as to the number OF seals
were most alarming. He brought drawings
hic ants hnt 40
agents of the Commercial Company claim that
they were made before the greater part of the
seal herd had arrived, and that had they been
taken six weeks later it would have been shown
that the seals were many times more numerous
than Mr. Elliott reported. The company also
claims that the report stands contradicted by the
statements Of at least five disinterested persons
now on file in the Department In this SITUATION
the Government was at much difficulty In arriving
at safe conclusions but it finally deemed
the mart of prudence TO make overtures to Eng
land for an absolute closed season.
This. accordingly, was done. two months ago.
At that time the Commercial Companys attitude
was entirely acquiescent. 1t willing to give
up it's profits for a year and to endure some
losses in supporting it's vast establishment and
in providing food and shelter for the natives, IL
the poaching could be certainly restrained. AS
10 effect any such arrangement as the Secretary
contemplated but it was disinclined TO be source
of any embarrassment to the Government In It's
dinlomatic proceeding. For reasons best known
70 himself, however Lord Salisbury delayed his
reply Week after week passed and nothing was
heard from the British Foreign Office Mean
while the seal poachers from Victoria were Mt
ting out their vessels and departing. Their num-
bers were larger than in any previous season.
and their preparations for an extensive slaughter
more elaborate The last of them was well on
his way into the forbidden waters before Lord
Salisbury's reply came to hand. This may be an
accident; it may be the merest coincidence. III
may be the result of his Lordshlp's ignorance OF
the sealing situation and of the tact that ne olu
not realize how important was an Immediate
response to Mr.. Blaine's offer. But, on the lace
of it, it looks as if he had purposely postponed
action in order TO permit the sealing fleet 10 get
away safely.
Now he processes himself ready to make the
agreement Mr. Blaine desires. This is the very
agreement which last year he professed hlmseh
without power to make except through legislation.
In it's nature it is the very agreement which IN
fact without legislation he did make with France
70 restrain lobster catching and canning on the
shores of Newfoundland last year. Even If he
now proposes to do what he said year ago he
was unable to do and 10 enter into this modus
vivendi with US by an order in council instead OF
an act OF Parliament, though he act never SO
promptly the poachers are at work, the destruction
Of the seal has begun and before his cruisers can
stop it vast amount of damage will be done.
The Canadians will have got large part of their
plunder while the Americn Government will have
lost all its revenue and the American lessees all
their lawful profits. But if Lord Salisbury still
contends that he cannot agree with us TO do what
he has already agreed with France to do, and if
he maintains that an act of Parliament is neces-
nry to enable him to proceed to restrain the Ca
nadians. long before that cumbrous machinery has
completed its work the sealing pirates viii have
oil fhpV