The Portland daily press., 1891-06-02
SECRETARY BLAINE'S LAST LETTER
In the correspondence over the
Rehrlng Sea Dispute.
1t Has Been Followed by Others of
Similar Character
Until the British Government Has
Accepted the Terms.

suit of its disclosure In London. In a letter
to the British minister, dated NAV 4. Secre-
tary Blaine says;
'During March, few days after the ad.
journment OF Congress, acting under the in
struction Of the President, proposed to you
that modus yivendl be agreed upon touch
ing the seal fisheries pending the result Of
arbitration of the questions between the two
governments. The Presidents first propos-
al, which submitted to you. was that no
Canadian sealer should be allowed to come
within certain number Of miles Of the
Pribyloff islands. IL was the conclusion Of
the President, after reading Lord Salisbury's
despatch of February 2lst, that this modus
vivendi might possibly provoke conflict in
Behring sea. To avoid that result, he in
sstructed me to propose that sealing both on
land and sea be suspended by both nations
during the progress of arbitration or during
the season of 1891"
Mr.. Blaine then says the President was de-
sirOus of prompt response from Lord Sails
bury TO the second proposition, but full
ceiyed. The only probable inference was
that Lord Salisbury would not agree to the
proposal. Mr.. Blaine continues:
1.-THE silence of Lord Salisbury implied that
he would not restrain Canadian sealers from
entering Behring Sea and. as all intelligence
be getting ready to sail in large numbers, the
President found that he could not, with JUS
tice, prevent the lessees from taking seals on
the Pribyloff Islands. The President in
structed the Secretary of the Treasury to is
sue to the lessees the privilege Of killing on
the Prlbyloff Islands during the coming sea-
son the maximum number OF $4,000 seals.
The 22d of April, eight days after
the President left Washington, you notified
me that Lord Salisbury was ready to agree
that all sealing should be suspended pend
ing the result of arbitration, On the. 23d Of
April, l telegraphed Lord Salisbury's pro-
position to the President. He replied on
April 25th expressing great satisfaction with
Lord Salisbury's message and instructing
me to inform you that some seals must be
killed by the natives for food; that the les
sees were bound, under the Lease from the
making 1t necessary to send a
ship to the Pribyloff Islands each
season at their expensei and that for
this very expensive service, the lessees
should find their compensation In taking a
moderate number of seals under lease. The
lowance would be readily agreed to by Lord
Salisbury, because the necessity is absolute.
You will remember that when [ communi-
Gated this proposition from the President to
you on April 9th, you did not agree with
the Presidents suggestion. You expressed
would not accept it, In your judgment the
killing of seals must be cut off absolutely on
land and water, and it could not be stopped
on either unless stopped on both. The
President refuses to believe that Lord Sails
bury can possibly maintain the position you
have taken when His Lordship is placed in
full possession of the facts"
Speaking of the liability of the Nor tn
American COMPANY to care for the islanders,
Mr.. Blaine said: "Fhe comfort and possibly
Ntn fAt fRlt has hNrWrN hall
liarly helpless when left to themselves, is
dependent upon the company under the
lease and the lessees are paid therefor by
the government in the sealskins the com
pany receives for the service Ii the COM
pany shall, as you say Lord Salisbury re-
seals, they certainly could not be
compelled to minister to the wants of these
s11 81 nev 1cr has ben made Ne
Congress for the purpose, and the President
cannot leave these worthy and innocent pc o.
pie to the hazard OF starvation even to secure
any form of agreement with Lord Salisbury
touching seal life. The first duty of the
United States in this matter is to protect
human life. In this exigency. the President
instructs me to propose that Lord Sails bury
c0ncede to the North American Company
the right to take sufficient number of seals
and no more than is sufficient to recompense
them for the outlay In taking care Of the ma
tiyes. and that, in the phrase of the Presi-
dent, all commercial killing OF seals be pro-
hibited pending the result OF arbitration.
This point being fixed and agreed to, the
proposed arrangement between the two
countries would be that the government of
the United States limits the number of seals
to be killed on the islands for the purposes
just described, to 1900, and the governments
of the United States and Great Britain
guarantee that no seals shall be killed in the
open waters of Behrlng Sea by any. person
m al col ho Hao of ifc
spectiye country, or by any citizen of his re
spectiye country sailing under any other
flag. These prohibitions snail continue un-
til the first day of May, 1892. within which
time the arbitrators shall render the final
award or awards to both governments.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, replying on May
9TH, says that the reservation respecting the
killing OF limited number OF seals appear
ed to me open to exception as detracting
from the principle of equality which was
the feature of the original proposal, but /
never was the Intention of the President or n
yourself that the modus vivendi should be
put in force until the time Of arbitration had
been settled | notice with satisfaction that
no such condition is affixed to your present
proposal although the provision as to killing
the limited number of seals on the Islands Is
maintained. | think it yet time to carry out
for this fishery season any, arrangement
which may promptly be agreed to"
"During the interval between the above
and the next note, Secretary Blaine fell Ill in
New York and the correspondence was TAX
en- up in behalf of this government by Act
on the goth and Goth of May pressing Sir
Julian for reply to the Presidents propo-
sltlon Tor arbitration. In the note OF the
10Th. he says: TN several interviews. with
you since the Goth inst, the desire OF the
President for an early reply to the
note of the 4th of May has been reaffirmed.
The situation evidently calls for prompt ac-
tion. Each days delay increases the exist
ing difference in the ability OF the respective
governments to make the proposed limitation
OF seal taking effective 1t Is reported that
a large feet of Canadian sealers has been
for some weeks or months on the seas, and
they are daily going further out OF reach.
Revenue cruisers have awaited definite
orders. Their presence Is urgently needed
In Behring sea. Any further delay tends to
defeat the very purpose for whicn tne agree
ment was sought. 1t is quite Incompatible
with fairness and justice to our citizens that
this should be permitted to continue. Am
ple opportunity has been afforded Her Ma
jesty's government to bring this condition to
close by effective agreements and the re.
suit is still uncertain and to all appearances
remote. The President can no longer hold
back. in furtherance of vague hope. to the
detriment of the legitimate interests of this
government and citizens of the United
States. | am. therefore. directed by the
President to inform you that orders have
been given to the revenue steamer
ing islands. Another revenue steam.
er. the "Corwin," is at San francisco
nearly ready to sail. Should an agreement
be reached before her departure ppropriate
orders may be sent by her to the islands"
"a London despatch printed elsewhere
announces the second reading of the bill
providing for a close time