The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-10
Behring Sea Questions.

Inc NlCtOrlu schooner Se8 Lion, WHICH
arrived ut her homo port the other day.
having been ordered out OF Behring Sea by
the British cruiser Nymphe. brought news
that many Of the sealing vessels on finding
SO many war ships in the eastern portion Of
the sea, had made for the Russian side.
Similar tidings had been received few days
earlier by the Ainoka, which was ono OF the
vessels that promptly accepted as sufficient
the wurnng from the Thetls not to enter
the sea. Finally from the Asiatic station
comes the information that several weeks
ago two Russian war vessels went north to
protect the sealing rights and privileges OF
their Government and its lessees.
Accordingly, an interesting question arises
as to Russias possible connection with the
fur seal controversy. Article I. Of the modus
rirendi agreement OF June Is declares that
Great Britain will prohibit until May next
"seal killing In that part OF Behring Sea
lying eastward OF the line Of demarcatlon
! described III Article No. l OF tho treaty Of
| 1867 between the United States and Russia"
while Article ii. contains like stipulation
on the part OF our Government "for the
same period in the same part OF Behring
Sea and on the shores and islands thereof
the property OF the United States" But
nothing is stipulated as to the western DOR.
ton Of the sea beyond the treaty boundary;
and SO fur as this agreement Is concerned,
both British and American seal hunters may
go there.
| Russia, therefore, may now find herself
face to face with the question how she
| shall define her police Jurisdiction In these
waters. The two great annual resorts OF
I,oa L. In, pahr h. n.il-
and the Commander islands, the former in
cuded In the cession of 1867 and tho latter
retained and now habitually leased by Rus
STA. The seal herd frequenting the Pribylov
Islands. and passing to and from them on
the eastern side OF the sea. is much the more
numerous and important, and the hunting
there Is also more accessible to British and
American vessels. But II these vessels are
| now going west OF the boundary, Russia
| may be compelled to choose whether she
will defend the extreme doctrine Of the
closed sea or the modified doctrine OF police
jurisdiction to such an extent as to prevent
the seals now frequenting tho Commander
Islands from being driven away; or. finally,
whether she will assent to the British doc
trine Of jurisdiction limited to the ordl-
nary three-mile limit.
Whatever may be said OF the famous ukase
OF 1921, asserting Russian maritime author
ity in this region and OF the prompt protest
OF Secretary JonN QUINCY ADAMS against It's
pretenslOns and whatever Interpretation
may be put upon the phrase great ocean
In Russia's treaties OF 1924 and 1926 with our
own country md Great Britain respectively,
1t Is tolerably clear that sho aimed to have
Behring Sen regarded as landlocked and
Shut sea, under her sovereignty. This Is
quite different from saying that Great
Britain gave cOuntonanee to the Russian
! pretensions, or that the mere assertion Of
them would establish them as against pow
| ers that never conceded their validity.
STILL 1t would accord with Russas past
| diplomacy to find her now claiming juris-
diction over the part OF Bshring Sea not
ceded III 1857 to the United States. She
would also probably he quito as much
inclined, even apart from her own interests
in Behrng Sea, to back up the claims OF our
country In that region as those of Great
Britain. And even In tho lack OF prediIec-
ton for the United States, 1t would be
natural for her not to dscredit the bargain
| OF 1857. or to lessen by voluntary action on
her part the advantages derived from It by
the United States.
Still, We are not TO assume that she would
| undertake to arrest Victoria vessels plying
their vocation In tho open waters OF the
western part II Behring Sea beyond marine
league from Ito shores and islands. There
have been accounts In former seasons OF
Russian gunboats driving away poachers
from the neighborhood Of Copper Island, but
tho circumstances wero rather indefinitely
reported. Perhaps tho most notable case
was one In which Russian vessel Is said To
have warned an Intruder that she must keep
a distance OF fully nine miles from ehore II
this report was correct, the Russian gun
boat may have sought to protect tho seals
in their long Journeys out to sea from the
rookeries In pursuit Of food. This would be
view analogous to that which has been
suggested by our State Department in tho
diplomatic debate with England 1t would
not necessarily show that Russia considered
BshrlnQ Sea To be a cIOSed sea altar 1867