The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-06
THE LATEST PHASE.
Standing Of the Behring Sea
Negotiations.
The FallaCy Of SaliSbury'S Position Exposed
by Secretary Blaine.
AAaSteFly argument In Support Of The Stand
Taken by the United States.
English Comment.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-The President to-
day transmitted to Congress all the CORE
spOndence up to date in the Behrins Sea
matter. 1t is made up of two very long let
ters and number of Enclosures, comprising
treaties, notes and extracts from the pre-
viOus correspondence. One of these letters
is from Lord Salisbury to Sir Julian Paunce-
fote, the British Minister dated August ID,
and the other from Secretary Blaine to the
British Minister, dated December nth.
Lord Salisbury's letter is confined to the
discussion of the Russian ukase and the
treaty OF 1926. BE argues at length that
Blaine has mlsinterpreted Adams position,
and saws:
do not suppose 1t is necessary that should
argue at length upon so elementary point as
thar The claim 10 prohibit vessels OF other nations
. from approaching within distance Of one hun
cred miles from the coast is contrary 10 modern
International usage. Adams and Canning clearly
= thought in 1923 that the matter was beyond
doubt or discussion. Not only did her Majestys
Government formally protest against the case,
but lie Russian Government gave a verbal
assurance that the claim of jurisdiction would
not be e&ercis ed. In subsequent negotiations
great importance was attached TO obtaining a
a
least luluul 10 Russian susceplibilltes but so
as 10 eaectually preclude its revival, and this
security tie British Government undoubtedly
. considered bOIh they aud the United States had
obtained blythe conventions Of 1924 and 1925
REGARDED AS a REMUNERATION.
In conclusion, Lord Salisbury cites the In.
-. siTuctiOns given The British penlpOteutiaiv who
negotiated The treaty Of 1925. and SAYS: These
extracts show couclusiyely: First, that Eug-
land refused TO admit part Of The Russian
p claim asserted 10y the ukase OF 1921 laelaritime
. jurisdiction, and he tNc uslYe right Of passing
o. ihl oughout the whole eXtel Of that claim, from
Belnlng Sralt 10 the If y-iirst parallel.
Second-Tnat the convention Of 1925 v as re
.. eaided on both sides as reuU icialton on the
Lart Of Russia OF that claim in lis entirety, md
1hild-lhal, though Behrlng Suait as
known ana specifically provided for Bel ring sea
was not known by that nam, but was Iegarded
a. part Of lie Pacific Ocean.
ALWAYS CLAIMED SEALING RIGHTS.
The answer therefore. TO the questions with
which Mr.. Blaine concluded his dispatc eli is mat
her Msiesiy's Government has always claimed
freec.0n OF navigation and fishing in The waters
Of EeblnS Sea outside the usual Territorial limit
Of one marine league from tie coast. and that II
Is impossible to admit that public right 10 fish,
e2icA 'cars OF pursue any other lawful occupa-
Hon o. the high seas can be held 10 be abau-
Nouea by nation from the mere fact that for
certain number OF years it has not suited the
subjects OF that nation TO exercise H. II must
be remembered that British Columbia has conn,
lnio existence as q colony al a comparatively re-
cent date and lie nrst considerable infiqx of
population some iIiriy years ago. was due to
lie discovery OF gold ana did tend to tile I'M
mediate DEVELOPMENT Of Tie shipping interest.
WILLING TO ARBITBATE.
asye TO request that you VIII communicate
q cory ct ihis dispatch, and OF Its iucosure, TO
MT Blaine You Will stale that her MajesIy's
Government has no desire what ver TO refuse to
lie Unued ataies any jurisdiction in Behring
Sea. which was conceded by Great Britain to
KusslJ, aud which properly accrues to the pres
ent possessors OF Alaska by virtue OF treaties or
the law OF nations; and II the United States Gov
eminent, after sn examination Of the evidence
and arguments / have produced still differs
from them as TO the legality of the recent cap
lures II That sea, and they are ready to agree
That the question: with lne issues that depend
upon II, should be referred TO impartial arbtIa-
iinu, you will in That case be authorized TO cou-
slider IN concert with Alr. Blaine 1 lie method OF
procedure 10 be followed.
BLAINE's POSITION.
Secretary Baine's letter begins with an ms ist-
eDee upon the cOrrec ness OF the position as
. sdEAed by the United States. He believes tile
cQ"lloyeIs tuins upon one polnt-whether The
Phrase Pacific Ocean," used in the treaties of
1924 and 1925 INCLUDED Behrag Sea. as con.
leuuel uy Gleat Biltaln. II tie United States
can prove Tie contrary her case IS complete aud
uudendble. Therefore Blaine enters into an
exhaustive argument, based on BancTOfps
history and maps, Ic show that Adams aud his
cont mpOtares had distinct understanding
that lie phrase Pacific Ocean excluded tiIe
waters Of Behrlng Sea, then known 10 all tie
world as he Sea vi hamschatka. The Secretary
poHtsto the large w<earu OF the Russian-Ameri-
Nau AoluNaAas HuACss, Ut says hOulu nave Deen
cdfeiesSy thrown 9EYa! By he Russian nobility
by phrase which mt4ged BehTing Sea in The
Pacific Ocean. He cites the long years OF abb
silueHcr 4 Um seai-wRteIs by adventurous ueople
OF lie United StIteS and Great Britain as a pre-
sumption OF iAeir lack Of light 10 enter. As
stronger evidence of his correctness Blaine cites
Tie protocol Of the treaty Of 1924 to show that
Eu>sa's relinquishmsnt Of jurisdiction applied
only 10 lie territory between 500 aud SOC; also
an EXPLANATORY nUIe from Russia 10 Adams in
1874 positively excepting the Aleutian Islands
fna he oy so from concession 10 Tie United
States Of lie right to lsn ana Il ade.
sALIsBURY's ASSERTIONS DESTROYED.
On this note SecI etaty Blaine saws the exulap.
aioTy note OF the Russian Government dlspfoves
aud denies IN detail The Three assertions Of Lord
Salisbury. 81 think they are completely dis
proved by tie fact leclted in this dis atcl but
- LIE explanatory note Is a specific contradc elton
OI each one OF them"
Further the Secretary says: 'The United
STATES, having the most extended sea coast of
al The nations OF the world may be presumed TO
lave paid serious attention 10 the laws aud
usages which define aud limit maritime jurisdIc.
lIou. nhhe LORD SaliSbuIys admOnIlOns are
received in good part by this Government we
= feel justified In asking his Lordship if the Cow
ernmenL " Great Britain has uniformly Illus
hated these precepts by example. or whether
she las not established at least one notable
precedent Which would justify US in making
greater demands upon her Majesty's Govern
meni, touching Behung Sea, Than either our
necessities OF our desires have ever suggested"
ENGLAND's ARBITRARY ACTION.
The Secretary here cites the action OF Great
within eight leagues of ST. Helena, when Ma
poleOI was confined there. and again refers to
the protection exercised over the Ceylon pearl
fisheries by Great Britain, and says: a am d.
recled by lie President 10 say that on behalf of
tn United States, lie IS willing 10 adopt the text
used Ia The act OF Parliament 10 exclude ships
ltom hoyerlng nearer to tue island OF St. Helena
IMAM eight mdilne leagues, or he viii take the
example cited by Sir George Baden-PoweII,
where, by permission of her Majesty's Govern
pent, control over part of the ocean 500 miles
vide Ti IS to-day authorized by Australian law.
IN PtefIoent VIII ask the Government ot Great
btHalh 10 agree to distance Of twenty marine
leagues, within which no ship shall hover around
me laiAnas ol 81; Paul and 81 George. from tile
12til oJ May 10 the 18TH OF OciOber OF each year.
THIS WIZ prove an effective mode Of preserving
lhe sea- hsheTles Tor the use OF the civilized
wOrid-a mode which, In view of Great BriIan's
assumption OF power over the open ocean. she
cannoI with consistency decline"
MAYNARD ACTION.
The Secretary describes the destructive effects
upon seal lie OF unrestricted sealing, and SAYS!
GIeat Britain has been Informed, advised ana
warned over and over again of the eyil effects
that would follow from her action; but against
testimony that amounts to demonstration she
has preferred 10 abide by personal Representa-
: ton from Ottowa, by the reports Of Commission
eIs VINO examined nothing and heard nothing ex-
cepl me testimony OF those engaged In q business
against which the United States earnestly pro-
sled. She may possibly be convinced OF the
damage IL she will send au- Intelligent cnmmis-
sion 10 the Pribylof Islands.
THE QUESTION OF ARBITRATION.
Respecting the British proposition looking TO
sroltratlon, The Secretary says: In lie jadg.
.nent Of lie President. nothing OF importance
would be settled by proving thar Great Britain
conceded no jurisdiction TO Russia over the seal
fisheries OF BehrlDg Sea. IL might as well be
proved that Russia conceded no jurisdiction 10
Engand over the River Thames. BY doing noth-
Ing 10 each case everything is conceded. In
neither case Is anything asked of the other. The
NoiQ concession" as used here, means simply
aequlescencs in the rghtfulness of Il lie. and that
Is the only form Of concession which Russia
asked OF Great Britain or which Great Britain
gave 10 Russia
WOULD AMOUNT TO NOTHING.
The second offer of Lord Salisbury IN arhl.