The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-05-14
BERING SEA.

Secretary Blaine Writes Another Mastery
Letter 20 the British Minister-Terms of
Arbitration ProPosed-British IncOnsist-
ency shown Up.
The note OF Secretary Blaine to Sir Julian
Pauncefote, dated April IL, was made public
last week, and il is an unusually strong dOcu-
ment, setting forth the position OF the United
States with unanswerable clearness and force.
First il deals with the question Of arbitration,
modifos the proposition Lord Salisbury made,
and proposes in lieu thereof the following SIX
questions for submission TO the arbitrator:
First-whst exclusive jurisdiction In the sea now
known ns the BCrng Sea and what excl usiye rights
IA the seal fisheries therein. did Russia assert and
exercise prior and mp 10 the time OF the CesslOn Of
Alaska TO the United States?
Second-How far were these claims ~ jurisdio-
ton ns 10 the seal fisheries recognized and conceded
by Great Britain?
Third-Was the body Of water now known as
the Boring Sea included in the phrase Pacific
Ocean a. used IA the treaty Of ISIS between
Great Britain aud Russia; and what rights, II any.
la the Boring Sea were held and exclusively exer-
cised by Russia after said treaty.
Fourlh-Did not all the rights OF Russia as 10
jurisdiction and TO the seal fisheries in Boring
sea, east Of the water boundary described ia the
treaty between the United States and Russia OF
March 30 1866. pass unimpRired 10 the United States
under that treaty?
FiAh-Hns The United States any right and II so.
what right 81 protection property IA the fur
seals frcqueutug The islands Of the United States in
Beriug sea, when such seals are found outside the
ordinary three mile limit
Sixll-If the discrimination Of the foregoing
questions shall leave the subject in such position
that The concurrence Of Great Britain Is necessary
IA prescribing regulations for the killing 81 tie fur
seal ia any pant Of the waters Of Berng sea, then
d shall be further determined First, how far II nj
all, outside the ordinary territorial limits 10 is
necessary that the United States should exercise an
exclusive jurisdiction. in order to protect the seal
for the time living upon the islands Of the United
HIrfrhf rl.faflf
closed season during which the killing Of seals
lu the waters OF BCriug Sea outside the ordinary
territorial limits shall Toe prohibited j. necessary
90 save the scpl fishing industry, 80 valuable and
important TO mankind, from deterioration or de-
struciou? Aud, If -, third, what months or parts
Of months should be included ia such season, and
over what waters should u cNtcnd2
II SAYS that the President Is willing to sub
nit 10 arbitration the question of damages
for the captured pOachers, provided this is ac-
COmpanied by one ms 10 damages due tho United
States for seals captured illicitly by Canadian
poachers.
The Secretary controverts Lord Salisbury's
presentation OF the history Of the Boring sea
controversy, and roitcrates the assertion that
Bering Sea, while part Of the waters Of the
Pacific Ocean," is not, in common parlance, a
part Of the Pacific Ocean, just as the Gulf OF
Mexico ST. Georges Channel, and the German
Ocean are parts or the waters OF the Atlantic
Ocean" but are not included when the A.
lantic Ocean A" is spoken Of The Secretary
denies again that the United States has never
claimed Bering Sea 10 be mare clau1pR, or that
we derive our rights solely from Alexander IS
ukase in lS2l, but that the United States,
among other grounds, insisted, without recur-
ring 10 any Of its inherited and superior rights
in Alaska that this Government has as full
authority for going beyond the three-mile line
in case Of proved necessity as Great Britain
has"
The Secretary then gives a now and con-
elusive illustration where, as late as 1850
only two years agO-Great Britain asserted
such claim over the open sea 10 protect Scotch
fisheries. by an act OF Parliament, passed that
year bream-trawling" was prohibited under
heavy penalties in the waters inclosed within
a line drawn from Duncsnsby Head, in Cath
ness, 10 Rattray Point, in Aberdeenshire The
Secretary accompanies MS letter with the fol-
lowing chart, showing the thrce-mile limit,
aud how Ear Great Britain has gone beyond H..
This shows that she has extended her control
over 300 miles Of open sea.