The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-16
TO PROTECT SEALS
The Proclamation for a Close
Season Is Issued.
THE AGREEMENT. WITH ENGLAND
Provisions for the arrest Of Poachers-Beh.
ring Sea to Be Patrolled by Ameri-
can and British Boats,

| agreement for a modus viyendi between
the government of the United States and
the government of her Britanicnaiesty il
sea was concluded on the 10 day Of
last June. 1t reads:
For the plrpose of avoiding irritation
differences, and with view to promote 9
friendly settlement of the questions pend
ing between the two governments touching
their respective rights in Behring sea, and
Tor the preservation of the seal species the
following agreement is made with
out prejudice TO the rights or
claims of either party Her majesty's
government will prohibit until May next
seal killing in that part of Behring sea
| lying eastward of the line of demarcation
described in article No. l Of the treaty of
| 1867 between the United States and Russia,
and will promptly use its best efforts 10 in
sure the observance of this prohibition by
British subjects and vessels.
The United States government VIII
prohlolt seal killing for the same period in
the same part OF BehrIng sea and on the
shores and Islands thereof, the property OF
the United States lin excess OF 800 TO be
taken on the islands for the subsistence of
the natlves), ana will promptly use its best
efforts to insure the observance of this
prohibition by United States citizens and
vessels.
''3-Every vessel or person offending
against this prohibition in the waters OF
the Behring sea outside of the ordinary
! territorial limits of the United States may
be seized and detained by naval or other
duly commissioned officers of either of the
nigh contracting parties, but they shall be
handed over as sooD as practicable to the
| authorities of the nation to which they
Nnnll braIl rNnll al
jurisdiction TO try the offense and impose
penalties for the same. The witnesses and
proofs necessary TO establish the offense
shall also be sent with them.
't-In ordtr 10 facilitate such proper in
qulries as her majesty's government may de-
sire to make with view to the presenta-
ton OF the case that an agreement for ar
bitration may be arrived at, ii is agreed
that suitable persons, designated by Great
Britain, will be permitted any time, upon
application, to visit or remain upon the
seal Islands during the present sealing sea-
son for that purpose.
''Signed and sealed in duplicate at Wash
ington this 18th day of June, 1891, on be-
half OF their respective governments by
William +. Wharton, acting secretary of
state of the United States, and Sir Julian
Pauncefote. envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary.
Now. therefore, be 1t known that /,
Benjamin Harrison, President of the
United States of America, have caused said
agreement 70 be made public to the end
that the same and every part thereof may
be observed and fulfilled with good faith
by the United States of America and the
citizens thereof.
I'm witness whereof have hereunto set
ny hand and caused the seal of the United
States TO be affixed"
The arrangement indicated in the above
proclamation was carried to completion
with degree OF speed without precedent
in the history of the state department, and
the cable has been relied upon to an I'M
wonted extent The agreement was signed
this morning by Sir Julian Pauncefote
and Wharton, and the presidential procla-
nation followed as quickly as it could be
prepared.
The navy department has been advised
of the progress and necessity of the case
and orders are now in preparation for the
immediate dispatch of probably two naval
vessels from San Francisco to Alaska,
where they will assist the three revenue
cutters in the task of driving off poaching
sealing vessels.
1t will be noticed the agreement author
lies the United States vessels TO seize
offending British vessels, which, however
are to be turned over to the British author
tiles for trial, and this feature OF the agree
the pressing emergency that is held TO
exist of clearing out law breaking vessels
before irreparable damage can be done to
the seal fisheries.
The department of state this afternoon
made public the latest correspondence on
the subject. 1t begins with a note Of June
3, from Sir Julien Paunceforte in reply 10
Secretary Blaine's letter of May 4, reply
ing TO those propositions. Sir Julien re-
piled with an amended draft of the agree
ment, which differs from the one signed
to-day.
In reply the President offered PROPOSE
ton suggesting such changes as would give
to the modus vivendl the same territory in
extent as the pending proposal for arbitra-
ton and so that the stipulation for the pro-
hibition of killing upon the lands of the
United States might rest upon its own or
der, and that the obligations of the
respective governments to give prompt
and vigorous effect to the agree
ment might be more clearly apparent
The President stated no British
consular functions could be exercised on
Behring Sea Island, but reasonable facili-
ties might be extended to Great Britain for
investigating at the islands any fact in
volved in the controversy to be arbitrated
The bringing of Russia into the affair at
this time would prove simply prohibitive of
the agreement on a modus vivendi and
could not be granted by the United States.
The suggestion that either power might
arrest violators of the agreement be they
British or American, is then made by the
President June 6 Lord Salisbury's reply
was received. He accepts the Presidents
suggestion as to the arrest Of poachers and
the turning of them over to the power to
which they belong.
The demand to take Russia in he with
drew, but urges that the interdict apply to
all Behring sea and urged that the terms of
arbitration be settled simultaneously
In reply the President states the limita-
ton of the killing of the seals is absolutely
in tie control of the United States The
President is quite willing TO agree that
England may send an agent to the islands
with q view to collecting facts involved in
the arbitration question The suggestions
of this reply are then embodied by the
President in a proposition covering the
agreed points
This was cabled:two days later. Lord
Salisbury replied with counter PROPOSE
ton adding to the agreement for taking
z. $50 seals these words: ITO be taken on
the shores and islands as food and skins.
and not for tax or shipment"
The President, in reply. declares this to
be an extraordinary proposal and not
clear one. 'This new condition" he says,
sis entirely inadmissable and inconsistent
with the assent already given by her mai
esty's government to the proposition of the
United States in that behalf"
Regarding the British claim that the in
terdict shall cover all Behring sea shores
and include the islands, the President
points out that the shores and islands be-
long to the United States, being within the
territorial limits, and any mutual policing
OF United States territorial waters, its
property, involved insuperable
difficulty on our part and concession which
no independent government could be ex-
pected TO make.