New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-30
THE FEELING IN WASHINGTON.
ALL DEPENDS on THE ACTION OF PARLIAMENT
-wARsHTPs THAT NAY BE SENT FOR
POLICE WORK IN ALASKAN WATERS.

ALL DEPENDS on THE ACTION OF PARLIAMENT
-wARsHIPs THAT NAY BE SENT FOR
POLICE WORK IN ALASKAN WATERS
Washington May 90 speciaD.-The situation In Behr-
ng being considered by the Government officials,
although the adoption of of procedure not ex
pected until the action Of the British Parliament on the
bill prohibiting British subjects from catching seals in
Behrng sea for certain period is communicated. The
State De'a-terf receipt OF information regarding
the probable results abroad, and by this information the
action of the United States authorities VIII be guided
The Secretary of the Navy and State Department
representatives have been several times In conference
with the President yesterday and to-day but it is not
known that any decision was reached 1t Is certain
however that consideration has been gwen the piah
of sending United States vessels to Behrng sea- IN al
dton 10 any that may be ordered from the Revenue
service
The long delayed action on the proposition for
closed season now promised by the British Government
is taken here generally to indicate willingness on
Lord ssbury's part accede in spite OF Canadian o
position the Administrators plan for an ahiosoie
and satisfactory solution of the seal fishery question
II grants the British Government the powers
10 now proposes ask, il is thought here that closed
season can be arranged without serious difficulty and
that the general question OF jurisdiction In BelnG
Sea can then be submitted at leisure TO- arbitration
In case a closed season is decided upon, the two
Governments Will, OF course cooperate to ponce tle
fishery grounds and it Is expected that several waFslpS
will be dispatched by each country 10 ALASKAN waters
in addition TO regular force OF revenue cutters
The development Of this programme depends entirely,
however on the action be taken within the next
few days in English Parliament. The United States
has not great many vessels on hand to send for
police work in Alaskan watern.
There are four Naval vessels available for
this service to-day, not including the two.
San Francisco and Baltimore, the most and vir
tuay the only effective ships in the Pacific, now en-
gagged in the pursuit of the Chilian transport ltata
The IroquOls. thirdrate vessel Captain J. J. Read
Is at Honolulu, where tie somewhat unsettled cond
ton Of affairs in Hawaii makes the presence Of naval
force advisable. The Pensacola, wooden steamer
OF the old type at Iquique Will return 70 the
South Atlantic leaving the surveillance of the Chlian
coast to the Baltimore and Charleston. This dstIibu
ton OF forces leaves five by effective ships
available for duty in the Arctic The Ranger, Com
George L. Wngate at last accounts at Cornto
Nicaragua surveying duty, Is an iron steamer OF
1000 Ions IN her battery she has one ll-inchsand
two 9-inch snoothbore guns. The Alert, Commander
T. d. Hitchcock at Mare Island Navy Yard and las
just been put in seagoing condition She is also AN
iron vessel, a compani0n-ship OF the Ranger, and
has similar ordnance equipment The Mohlcan'
Commander C. s. Cotton, is wooden steamer of 300
TONS carrying besides fairly good secondary battery
eight 0-inch smoothbOIe guns, and one Sinch muzzle
Oadng rife She is at Mare Island Navy Yard. The
Theus Commander George c. Reiter, is wooden YES
sell especially constructed with view to service In
Northern waters She is on surveying duty the
coast OF Lower California. She has nothing in the
shape Of armament but two machine-guns The P1nta'
Commander FarenhOlt, is at Esquimault, Il. o.
and doubtless orders 10 proceed 10 Behring Sea-
IRON which direction she recently came. Her arma-
ment consists Of four howtzers and Gatling gun
OF these vessels the Ranger is not likely TO be sent
Eorb. The IInta is destined for Alaska, and may be
followed By the Alert NlObcan and Thetis the number
Of vessels for this service depending upon the crclm
hostile ironclsds not 10 mention aIuOred gunboats.. is
deemed quite sufficient for police survey Of scEO3ners
Pending The results Of the bill in Iarliamnt, and
tho recent OF further definite information from the
American Minister at London, this Government VIII
probably designate other vessel at present tah ule
rnta for duty in the vicinity Of the Bering Sea seal
fishing