The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-02
BILL PASSES SECOND READING.
Only 1000 of the Animals to Be Slain
on the Islands.
summary OF the Correspondence Re-
tween Salisbury and BIaine-waters
OF Bering Sea to Be Held InvioIate
Pending the Award of Arbitrators,

4
| the bill dealt with question of urgency,
and was prompted by a desire tnat ar
engagements of an amicabe character
should be made to settle the dispute. He
was sure that all parties would agree that
| 1t was better for the difference to be deter
mined by friendly arbitration than by more
| barbarous methods. [Cries of Hear hear ,'l
There had been delay in submitting the
| question to parliament, owing partly to
causes which those who have had expert,
ence in diplomatic negotiations would un-
derstand, and partly TO the illness of the
Canadian premier, who had earned the re-
spect of everybody who had any knowl-
edge of the service he had rendered
to the empire at large. [Cheers. !
There would be one feeling,
that OF sorrow that a life so
valuable seemed about to end. Hear!
hear!l
The consent of the Dominion was subject
to certain conditions which appeared to be
reasonable ones. being that the ships fitted
| out under the British flag for lawful fish
ing IN Bering sea be compensated for their
loss during the period of prohibition. Un-
der the bill sealing is prohibited simply
within Bering sea. The effect will be to
| greatly diminish the catch of seals and
| produce great rise in the price of skins
| obtained south of Bering sea. The prohi-
bition Will continue until 1892, within
which time il was expected that the arbi-
traitors would make the award. 1t was
not proposed that an order be issued un-
less Russia also consented to entire prohi-
bition within Bering sea. The amount of
| compensation would depend upon the ac-
tual loss the ship owners sustained.
| There was every reason to hope for the
| cooperation of Canada.
| Harcourt agreed with Smith that Sc
rious misunderstanding between England
| and the United States would be a great
calamity. The government would always
receive the support of the opposi-
| tion in referring international questions
| to arbitration. The Bering sea dispute
seemed, above all others, to be one lend
| ing itself to arbitration. Therefore, he
had nothing to say except to express salts
| faction with the course adopted. 1t was
| satisfactory to find Canada party to the
| arrangement. This was essential
| Still, Conservative, adopted the arrange
| ment, although he thought the close time
| for seals ought to last from October to
| June 30, and TO prevail outside of Bering
sea as well as within. It was a mistake to
suppose that seals within Bering sea were
| especially in danger of determination. On
| the contrary his information showed a
| likelihood of there being more seals in
| Bering sea this year than for a long period.
Chamberlain hoped that the government
would ascertain the position of maritime
| nations toward the question. He wanted
| to know whether the subjects for arbitra-
| ton were agreed upon with the United
| States, and whether, after that power had
Withdrawn its claims to almost exclusive
possession of Bering sea, arbitration would
be confined to precautions to preserve
seals. The question of compensation was
of minor Importance. Still he
could not help thinking that it
was hard that this should fall
on the British taxpayers. No compensa-
ton ought to be paid unless clear proof
was produced that the vessels were really
Canadian vessels.
George Osborn Morgan, Sir George
Campbell, Sir George Baden-Powell
and Mr.. Bryce approved the
issue of the negotiations. Sir
| James Ferguson, under foreign secretary,
| said that arbitration would be concerned,
! not only with the respective rights of
| England, the United States and Canada in
| Bering sea, but also with measures to
| preserve the seals. Overtures had been
| made to Russia for the fixing of a
| close time. Although no answer had
| been received, it was known some time
| ago that Russia was favorable to such
! measures. The government assented with
| reluctance to the United States proposal
| that $1,000 seals be taken this year. The
| arrangement was a temporary one, made
| for the removal of the source of diff
Guilty pending arbitration. The matters
| to be referred TO arbitration
were still the subject of correspond
! ence between the two governments,
| and a point of agreement is being ap-
proached steadily. He believed that the
| reply which was about to be addressed to
the United States would bring them so
| closely together that an harmonious
| settlement would soon be obtained.
| The bill was then read the second time.
| WAsHISGToS CRY, June 1.-The state
| department today made public the latest
| instaIlment of the correspondence on the
| Rerinc sea matter. 1t begins with a letter
! from Secretary Blaine to Sir Julian Paunce-
| fote Nay4. In it he refers to his propo-
| sition. after the adjournment of congress,
| for modus vivendi, under which no
| Canadian sealer should be allowed to come
| within a certain number of miles of the
pribilof islands. Lord Salisbury, fearing
| this might provoke conflict, the presi-
| dent concluded to propose suspension of
sealing by both nations during arbitration
| or during the season of 1891. Mr. Blaine
| refers to the presidents anxiety to re-
! ceiye an answer before leaving
for his Western tour, which answer he did
| not get. The silence OF Lord Salisbury
seemed to imply that he would not re-
strain Canadian sealers from entering Ber-
| ing sea. and, as all intelligence from Brit
| ish Columbia showed that the sealers were
| getting ready TO sail in large numbers, the
incident found he could not with justice
nreyent the lessees from taking seals on
the Pribilof islands The president there
fore instructed the secretary Of the treas
ury to issue TO the lessees the privilege of
| taking the maximum number of 5000
seals the coming season, subject to the
| discretion of the special agent TO limit the
| killing to smaller number, as the con-
dition of the herd might demand.
On April % Blaine received notice from
Pauncefote that Salisbury was ready to
| agree to the proposition, and Mr. Blaine
| telegraphed it 10 the president.
The latter replied April y expressing
satisfaction, but instructing Blaine 10 in
form Pauncefote that some seals must be