Evening journal., 1891-01-06
THE BEHRiNG SEA FIGHT.
Blaine Wants Salisbury to Dis
cuss the Real Issues.
THE CORRESPONDENCE PUBLIC.

Tho President Thinks 1t win Mean some
thing Tangible II Great Britain win
Consent TO Arhitrate the Real Questions.
John Buil's Great Lack OF Consistency.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 6.--The president has
sent 80 congress the concluding correspond
ence between the United States and Great
Britain up to date touching the fur seal
question in Behring sea. The correspond.
ence embraces letter dated Aug. Q, 1900.
from Lord Salisbury to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, the British minister here. In reply 10
Secretary of State Blaine's letter OF last
July maintaining that the United States
derived from Russia rights OF jurisdiction
over the waters Of Behring sea to a dis
tance Of 100 miles from the coast. Lord
Salisbury in his letter contends that Enx.
land refused to admit any part Of the
Russian claim asserted by the ukase OF
1921 OF maritime Jurisdiction and exclu-
sive right Of fishing throughout the whole
extent of Behring sea as far north as
Behring straits; that the treaties Of 1895
between Great Britain and Russia and the
United States and Russia were regarded
on both sides as a remuneration on thu
part Of Russia Of that claim in its entirety.
and that though Behring straits were
known and specifically provided for.
Behrins sea was not known by that name
at the time, but was regarded as part OF
the Pacific ocean.
John Quincy Adams Quoted,
Lord Salisbury, in support of this con-
tention, and that the United States at that
time took the same view Of this Russian d
claim, quotes from the protest Of John
Quincy Adams in 1923, then secretary OF
state, to the Russian representative, in
which he wrote.
From the tenor Of the ukase the pretans5ons
OF the imperial government extend 10 an ex.
elusive territorial jurisdiction from the 18th deg
OF north latitude, on the Asatic coast, 70 ths
latitude OF 81 degs north on the western coase OF
the American continent; and they assume the
right OF interdicting the navigation and the fish
cry Of all other nations to the extent q lOs miles
from the whole OF that coast The United States
can admit no part OF these claima Their right
OF navigation and Of fishing is perfect, and hes
been IN constant exercising from the earliest
times, after the peace Of i763 throughout the
whole extent OF the southern ocean, subieos only
70 tho ordinary exceptions and exclusions of the
territorial jurisdictions which 50 far a. Russian
rights are concerned, ore confined 70 certain
islands north Of the 55th deg. of latitlde, and
have no existence on the continent Of America.
Thinks BlaiRe Is IN Error.
After quoting further from lateE ccrre.
spondence on the same question, Lord
Salisbury denies that Great Britain ever
admitted BY act or BY sufferanee the OK.
traordinary claim Of maritime Jurisdiction
contained in the ukase of 1891, and says.
The inclosed copies of correspondents ex.
tracted from the archives Of this Office make Il
very difncult to believe that Mr. Blaine has not
been altogether led into eFroT 1t resll,s from
them that not only did her maJeSty's govern.
ment formally protest against the ukase on IL
iirst issue as contrary to the acknowledged law
of nations, but that the Russian government gave
verbal assurance that the claim OF Jurisdiction
wouldnot be exercised In the subsequent ne
gotiations great Importance was attached to oh.
tanning more formal dsavowel Of the claim in
the manner least hurtful TO Russian SUSCEPTIBLE
ties, but so as efecsually TO preclude its revival
Ready to Arbitrate.
II must be remembered that British Columbia
mas come into existence as colony at a com.
paratively recent date and that the first con-
siderable influx Of population. some thirty vears
ago was due 70 the discovery Of gold, and did
not tend TO an immediate DEVELOPMENT OF the
shipping interest / have to request that YOU
viii communicate copy Of this dispatch. and Of
its Enclosures, TO Mr. Blaine You will state that
her maiesty's government have no desire what
ever TO refuse 70 the United States any jurisdc-
ton in Behring sea which was conceded bE Great
Britain to Russia, aud which properly accrpes to
the present possessors Of Alaska in virtue of
treaties or the law Of nations; and that IL the
United States government, after examination ~
the evidence and arguments which have pro
duced, still differ from them as to the legality Of
the recent captures in that sea they are ready 10
agree that the question, with the issues that de.
pend upon it. should be referred to impartial
You will in that case be authorized
70 consider, in concert with Mr.. Blaine the
method Of procedure to be followed
Secretary Blane's Response.
Secretary Blaine in his response nd
dressed to Sir Julian Pauncefote on Dec
l9 past, at the outset insists upon the cor
rectness and validity of the position which
has been advocated by the government 81
ne United States In defense OF American
rights in Behring sea. Legal and diplo.
matte questions, he says, are often found
lfter prolonged discussion to depend on the
'ettlement Of single point. Such in the
Judgment Of the president is the position
n which the United States and Great
Britain find themselves in the pending
touching the true construction
u the Russo American and Analo-Russian
reaties OF 1924 and 1926. Great Britain
secretary Blaine say, contends that tbe
phrase Pacific ocean, as used in the
seaties, was intended to include and does
include the body of water known az the
8ehring seq. The United States contends
hat Behring sea was not mentioned. ar
wen referred to, in either treaty, and was
n no sense included in the phrase Pacific
,cean."
II Great Britain can maintain her posi-
ion that the Behring sea, at the time Of /
he treaties with Russia, of 1924 and 1S25
vas included in the Pacific ocean, the gov
rnment Of the United States has no we'll /
complaint against her. If, on the
'ther hand, this government can prove
'eyond all ooubt that the Behring sea, at
be date Of the treaties, was understood by
he three signatory powers 10 be a separate
'ody OF water and was not included in the
hrase Pacific ocean, then the American
ase against Great Britain is complete and
ndeniable
A Question OF Construction.
The dispute prominently involves the
meaning OF the phrase northwest coastn
r northwest coast OF America. . Lord Sal
'bury assumes that the northwest coastn
as but one meaning and that it includes
be whole coast stretching northward to the
iehring straits. The contention of this
overnment is that by long prescription
he northwest coast" means the coast of
he Pacific ocean, south Of the Alaskan
or south Of the sixtieth parallel
north latitude
Secretary Blaine contends that the phrase
northwest coast has been we'll known