Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-06
BLAINE STILL FIRM.
He Maintains His Position in the
Bering Sea Controversy.
SOME QUESTIONS FOR SALISBURY.
What the United States Will Gladly Consent
to Arbitrate.
THE LATEST PHASE OF THE DISPUTE

to-day transmitted to the House of Repre-
sentatives further correspondence on the
subject of the Bering Sea controversy be-
tween the United States and Great Britain.
The Presidents message is altogether formal
and merely states that in response to the
resolution of the House of Representatives
he transmits the correspondence called for.
The correspondence consists of letter
from Lord Salisbury to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, dated August 2, 1890, and one from
Secretary Blaine to the same Minister, of
date December IL last. Both have copious
appendices, made up of past correspondence
on the subject. Lord Salisbury's letter is
confined to adiscussion fthe Russian Ukase
and the treaty OF 1926. He argues that Mr..
Blaine has misinterpreted Mr.. Adams
position, and declares that the history of the
case shows, first, that England always denied
Russia's claim Of maritime jurisdiction in
Bering Sea; that the convention of 1926 was
remuneration of that claim, and that
Bering Sea was not then known by that
name, but as part of the Pacific Ocean. He
closes with the statement that if differences
still exist, his Government is ready for i'm
partial arbitration by methods to be agreed
upon in concert with Mr.. Blaine.
Blaine Stands by His Position.
Secretary Blaine's letter begins with an
lnslStence upon the correctness of the posi-
tion assumed by the United States He be-
lieves that the controversy turns upon ore
point-whether the phrase Pacific Ocean,"
used in the treaty of 1924 and 1925, included
Bering Sea, as eontended by Great Britain
If the United States prove the contrary
her case is complete and undeniable. There
fore Mr.. Blaine enters into an exhaustive argu-
ment, based on Bancrott's history and maps to
Show that Mr.. Adams and his contemporaries
had distinct understanding that the phrase
Pacific Ocean" excluded the waters OF Berlng
Sea then known to all the world as the Sea of
kamschatka.
The Secretary points to the large wealth of
the Russian American Company. which he says
would have been caIelessly thrown away by the
Russian nobility in phrase which merged the
berlng Sea into the Pacific Ocean. He cites
the long years of abstinence from the seal
waters by the adventurous people of eUnited
States ald Great Britain presumpuon of
their lack of right to enter
Evidence to Support His Claim.
AS stronger evidence of his correctness. Mr.
Blaine cites the protocols of the treaty of 1924
TO show that Russia. REIMBURSEMENT of iurls-
diction applied only to the territory between
the fiftieth and siXJieth degree; also an explain
auory note from Russia to Mr.. Adams in 1924
positively excepting the Aleutian Islands and
country north of $50 81 from the concession to
the United States of right TO fish and trade
Of this note Secretary Blaine says: THE ex-
plRratUry note of the Russian Government
dlsproves and denies, in detail, the three asser-
tions of Lord Salisbury. l think they are COM
pletely disproved by the facts recited in this
dispatch, but the explanatory note is a specific
contradiction of each one of them"
Further the Secretary SAYS: "The United
states, having the most extended seacoast of
al the nations OF the world, may be presumed
10 have paid serious attention to the laws and
usages which define and limit maritime iuris.
dicuon. The course of this Government has
been uniformly In favor of upholding the
recognized law of nations on that subject
Quoting Damaging Precedent
while Lord Salisburys admonitions are re-
celved in good part by this Government we
feel justified in asking his iordship if the Gov
eminent of Great Britain has uniformly Illus
trated these precepts by example or whether
She has not established at least one notable
precedent which would justify US in making
greater demands upon Her Majesty's Govern
ment touching the Bering Sea, than either our
necessities or our desires have ever suggested"
The secretary here cites the action Of Great
Britain in excluding vessels from the waters
Within eight leagues of St Helena when Ma
poleOn was confined there, and refers to the
protection exercised over the Ceylon pearl fish
cries by Great Britain. and says:
Il am directed by the President to saw that.
on behalf of the United States. he is willing to
adopt the text used in the act of Parliament to
exclude ships from lowering nearer to the
island of St. Helena than eight marine leagues
or he will take the example cited by Sir George
Baden-Poweu where, by permission of Her
Majesty's Government, control over a part of
the ocean, 800 miles wide, is to-day authorized
by Australian law.
Proposition to Britain,
"The President will ask the Government of
Great Britain to agree to the distance of 20
marine leagues-within which no ship shall
hover around the islands of st. Paul and ST.
George, from the 18th of May to the 18th of Oc-
Tf.far of andh Ia
tive mode of preserving the seal fisheries for
the use of the civilized wOrld-a mode which
in view of Great Britain's assumption of power
over the open ocean she cannot with consist
ency decline"
Respecting the British proposition looking to
arbitration, the Secretary says: at will mean
something tangible, in the Presidents opinion,
If Great Britain will consent to arbitrate the
real questions which have been under discus-
sion between the two Governments for the last
four years. shall endeavor to state what in
the Judgment of the President, those issues are.
"First-Wbat exclusive Jurisdiction in the
sea now known as Bering Sea, and what ex-
elusive right in the seal fisheries therein did
Russia assert and exercise prior and IN to the
time OF the cessIon of Alaska to the United
States?
The Claims of Jurisdiction.
''Second-How far were these claims of
jurisdiction as to the seal fisheries recognized
and conceded by Great Britaini
''Ihird-Mas the body of water known as
the Bering Sea included in the phrase Pacific
Ocean," as used in the treaty of 1875 between
Great Britain and Russia, and what rights If
any. in the Bering Sea were given or conceded
to Great Britain by the said treaty?
''Fourth-Did not all the rights of Russia as
TO jurisdiction and to the seal fisheries in
Berlng Sea, east of the water boundary in the
treaty between the United States and Russia of
March 80 1867, pass unimpaired to the United
States under that treaty.
"Fifth-What are now the rights of the
United States as to the fur seal fisheries in the
waters of the Ber1ng Sea, outside of the ordin.
airy territorial limits?
Questions to Be Determined.
''Sixth-If the determination of the forego
ing questions shall leave the subject in such
position that the concurrence of Great Britain
is necessary IN prescribing regulations for the
killing OF the fur seals in any part of the waters
of Bering Sea, then it shall be further
determined how far. if at all, outside
the ordinary territorial limits it is necessary
that the United States should exercise an er
elusive jurisdiction, in order to protect the seal
for the time living upon the islands of the
United States and feeding there; whether a
closed season, during which the killing of seals
in the waters of Bering Sea outside the ordin-
ary territorial limits shall be prohibited is
necessary to save the seal-hshinC industry so
valuable and important to mankind, from de-
terioration or destruction? And If So third
what months or parts of months should be in,
GUIDED In such season, and over what waters it
should extend?"
Secretary Blaine, in conclusion, denies that
the United States ever claimed Berine Sea to
be a closed sea.
A Denial From London.
The following special cablegram from Lon.
don has been received: The subjoned item of
deep interest will appear in the columns of the
London Daily Telegraph of Tuesday, January
6: I'VE have received the following commuui-
cation from the Foreign Office:
THE statement uelegraphed respecting the
correSnondenca q tho ReriDp Saa opae+iS,, ~,