Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-02
THE BERING SEA AGREEMENT.

THE BERING SEA AGREEMENT.
The Correspondence Leading to n Suspension
of Seal Catching During the Present Season.
The correspondence on the Boring sea con-
troversy leading TO en- agreement between
the United States and Great Britain that
both countries shall cease the taking of seals
during this season OF until the dispute has
been settled by arbitration, has beea made pub
lie by the State Department
Mr. BLAISE's PROPOSALS.
The terms of the agreement for the closed
season as proposed in Mr.. Baine's letter of
May are that:
The government of the United States limits
the number of seals to be killed on the islands
to seven thousand five hundred The gov
eminent Of the United States guarantees
that no seals shall be killed in the open waters
of the Bering sea by any person or any vessel
sailing under the American flag or by any
American citizen sailing under any other flag.
The government Of Great Britain guarantees
that no seals shall be killed in the open waters
Of the Boring sea by any person or any vessel
sailing under the British flag. and that no
British subject shall engage in killing seals for
tie time agreed upon on any vessel sailing
under any other flag. These prohibitions shall
continue until the LIST day of May, 1892, within
which time the arbitrators shall render final
award or awards to both governments"
These several propositions were submitted
for the considerations of Lord Salisbury.
The correspondence is devoted chiefly to the
adjustment Of several points of difference as to
the manner of closing the sealing season, and
is very amicable in tone.
The preceding correspondence closed with
note from Secretary Blaine to Sir Julian
PRuncefote, dated April IA last, changing some
what the six questions proposed to be submit
ted TO arbitration that in brief they provide
for a determination Of the old Russian
rights in Bering sea, the extent Of their recog-
milton by Great Britain, the definition OF the
boundaries Of Bering sea, the extent of the re-
version Of the Russian rights to the United
States, the right of the United States to pro-
tect seal outside of the three-mile limit, the de-
termination of the necessary regulations to
that end, including the limitation of the close
season, and finally the question of the dam
ages sustained by the two parties through seal
killing and through seizures of vessels
THE ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE.
The additional correspondence begins with a
note from Secretary Blaine to the British
minister, dated May 4, setting forth that the
President, in order to avoid any conflict in
Bering sea that might be provoked by the
modus vivendi, proposed TO England that
sealing. both on land and sea, should be sus-
pended by both nations during the progress of
arbitration during the season of 1881. Mr..
Blaine in submitting this proposition COM
municated the fact that the President was very
DESTROYS of a prompt response from Lord Sal
isbury and to that end suggested that Sir
Julian Pauncefote request reply by cable.
As no reply was received the President in
structed the Secretary of the Treasury to issue
10 the lessees (the North American Company
the privilege of killing on the Pribylof Islands
during the coming season the maximum num-
Der of 90 900 seals, subject to the absolute
power of an agent appointed by the Secretary
TO limit the killing to as small number
the condition of the herd might, in his opin- |
ion. demand On April y, eight days after
the President had left Washington for his trip |
to the Pacific coast, and when Mr.. Blaine was
absent from Washington, the British minister
notified Mr.. Blaine that Lord Salisbury was
ready to agree that all sealing should be sus- |
pended pending the arbitration. Mr.. Blaine |
at once telegraphed the answer OF Lord Sails |
bury TO the President. who replied that he was |
gratified at Lord Salisburys message, but in |
structed Mr.. Blaine to inform Sir Julian |
Pauncefote that some seals must be killed by |
the natives for food" that the lessees are |
bound under their lease from the government |
to feed and care for the natives. making it |
necessary TO send a, ship to the Pribyloff |
Islands each season at their expenses"
and that for this service. very ex-
Pensive one. the 'lessees should find their |
compensation in taking moderate number |
of seals under the lease" The President ex- |
pressed his belief that this allowance would be |
readily agreed TO by Lord Salisbury, because |
the necessity is absolute. After full eonsid- |
Grafton the President limited the number of
seals to be taken to 1900, TO be killed by the |
company to repay them tor the outlay de- |
manded for the support of the 800 people on |
Pribyloff Islands He further directed that no |
females be killed, that the productive Ca |
pacity Of the herd be not impaired
WAITING FOR LORD SALISBURY.
To this note Sir Julian Pauncefote replied
on the following day that he regretted that a
misconceptiOn had arisen concerning the de- |
lay and explaining that he felt some reluctance |
in sending any more proposals to Lord Sails |
bury while his dispatch of February q last |
submitting amendments on the questions for |
arbitration, remained unanswered and that Sir |
Julian suggested that II would be more salts
factory if the new proposal were made concur |
rently with the reply to Lord Sails bury's dis |
patch. Sir Julian adds that he undo rstood Mr.. |
Blaine to say that he would proceed in that |
ORDER Sir Julian further SAYS that if Mr. |
Blaine had informed him that the President
desired that the alternative proposal should be |
telegraphed il should have been done, but that |
he (Sir Julian) cannot call to mind that the
President name was ever mentioned at the in
terview- Sir Julian adds that no appreciable
loss of time occurred
Mr.. Blaine falling i'll. the correspondence was
taken up by Mr.. Alvey A. Adee, the acting secre
tary OF state. Mr.. Adee, under date Of Nav 20.
wrote to the British minister that the President
was DESTROYS to learn the reply of her majesty
government to his proposal to stop sealing
That note elected reply. Mr.. Adee wrote
again on May 26, urging the necessity of an I'M
mediate reply, tine Canadian vessels were
leaving for Boring sea and the United States
could not longer hold back il, lessees or revenue
steamers
To this note Sir Julian Pauncefote replied
the following day, regretting any Inconvenience
caused by the delay, and assuring the State De-
partment that Lord Salisbury is using the ut
most expedition