The Globe-republican., 1891-05-13
HIS HANDS FULL

WASHINGTON, May Ill mere Is a vast
accumulation of matters requiring at.
tention from the state department just
now and Secretary Blaine will probably
be busy man during the summer. The
recent events in the Gillian situation
have added to the completely of affairs
and there is now long docket of I'M
solved diplomatic problems, as follows:
The Italian and Behring sea complica-
tons. the Canadian reciprocity
and Newfoundland fisheries nego-
tiations, the Gillian troubles,
the Spanish agreement, the Ven
eznelan treaty. the Haytian coaling
station, the refusal of China to receive
Minister Blair, the trouble over the
failure of a consul at Victoria to toast
the queen and quite number of minor
matters, including the claim of the Bar
rundia family.
The last note of Mr.. Blaine in answer
to Lord Salisbury has been made pub
lie. The points of arbitration are con-
sidered seriatim and suggestions made.
A more recent case of Great Britain
claiming jurisdiction over outside
same may be done by the United States
in the Bchring sea The secretary says,
in concluding his note:
Two or three instances Of the power which
Great Britain exercises cyond the three
mile line have already been quoted. hut
have failed thus far to secure comment or
explanation from Lord Salisbury. Another
case can be added which perhaps is still
more to the point. In lSS9-Only two years
agO-the British parliament enacted law,
the effect of which is fully shown by a map
inclOsed herewith.
II Great Britain may thus control an area
Scotland, why may not the United States
prescribe space around the Pribylof ISL
ands in which similar prohibitions may be
enforced? The following would be the need
ed legislation for such purpose by con-
gress. and it is but a paraphrase OF the act
of parliament: 1.-The fur seal board may by
bylaw or bylaws direct that the methods
of sealing known as spearing. or harpOon-
ing, or with firearms, shall not be used
within line drawn from the shores of the
Prbyl0f island, sixty miles in the Behrng
sea. and sal board may from time to time
make. alter and revoke bylaws for the pur
pose OF this section. but no such bylaw shall
be Of any validity until it has been confirmed
by the secretary of the treasury. Second
Any person who uses any method of sealing
in CONFIRMATION OF such bylaws shall be
liable on conviction to Il fine not exceeding
500 for the first offcnSe and not exceeding
$500 for the second any subsequent Of
tense. and every spear. harpOOn or irearm
attempted to be used in cOntraventOn OF
any such bylaw may be seized and de.
stroyed or otherwise disposed of as said fur
seals board may direct"
1t must not escape observation that the
a IF for raj slo fIo mile N
the coast of Scotland, whose control is as
sumcd by Great Britain. is rs large as would
be found inside a line drawn from Cape Cod
to Portland harbOr on tho New England
coast. Lord Salisbury reasserts his cOnten.
ton that the words Pacific ocean, at the
time of the treaty between Russia and Great
Britain did include Hehring sea. Undoubt-
eddy the Pacific ocean includes Behring sea
in the same sense that the Atlantic ocean in.
cludes the Gulf of Mexico. and yet it would
be regarded a very inaccurate statement
to say that the Mississippi river flows in.
to the Atlantic ocean. I think Lord Sails
bury fails to recognize the common dis
tinctiOn between the atlantic ocean" and
"the waters of the Atlantic" While tho
Mexican gulf Is not part Of the Atlantic
ocean it would, I am sure, cOmport with
general usage to say that it belonged to the
waters of the Atlantic, and while Behring
sea is not technicallya part OF the Pacific
ocean it undoubtedly belongs to the waters
of the Pacific. The English channel would
ordinarily be understood as included in the
term. atlantic ocean," One would not say
that Dover or Calais is on the coast of the
Atlanti. ocean. and yet clearly the English
channel belongs to the waters of the Atlantic.
In point of fact, therefore, according to
the usage OF the world. there Is no dispute
of any consequence between the two govern
mentS on the geographical point under con-
The historical point is the one
at issue. The explanatory note from Russia,
filed in the state department of this country,
specially referred to i'm Mr.. John Quincy
Adams diary and quoted in my note of De-
rember Il. 1897, plainly draws a distinction
between the Pacific ocean on the one hand
and the sea of Okhotsk, the sea of kam-
schatka and the Icy sea on the other AMI so
long rs Russia drew that distinction it must
apply to and must absolutely decide all the
between the two countries so
Tar as the waters of the Behring sea are con.
ccrncd. To discuss this point further would,
in the opinion of the president, contribute
nothing OF value to the general contention.
In the opinion OF the president, Lord Salts
bury is wholly and strangely In error in
max ing the following statement: Nor do
they (the advisers Of the pres ident) rely as a
for the seizure Of British ships
in the open sea, upon the contention that
the interests Oh the seal nSncIleS give 10 the
United States government any right for that
purpose which. according to International
law, it would not otherwise possess" The
government OF the United States has stead.
lily taken just the reverse of the position
which Lord Salisbury has imputed to it. 1t
holds that the ownership ofthe islands upon
which the seals breed. that the habit of
the seals in regularly resOrting thither
and rearing their young thereon, that
their going out from the islands
in search OF food and regularly re-
turning thereto. and all the facts and Incl.
dents of their relation to the island give to
the United States property interest there
in; that this property interest was claimed
and exercised by Rufsia during the whole
period Of its sovereignty over the land and
waters OF Alaska: that England recognized
their property interests so far as recognition
is implied by abstaining from all interior.
ence with it during the whole period OF
Russia's ownership Of Alaska, and during
the first nineteen years Of the sovereignty Of
the United States. II is yet to be determined
the lawlcss intrusion of Canadian
vessels i'm 1886 and subsequent years has
changed the law and equity OF the case
thereto prevailing have the honor to be,
with the highest consideration. sir, your
most Obedient servant, JAMES G. BLAINE.
HA.>;,, ~