Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-01-10
BEHRING SEA.
The Disputed Question Likely to
be Settled by Arbitration.
synopsis of the Latest Correspondence Bo-
tween Secretary Blaine and Lord Salis-
bury Regarding the Claims of
Their Respective Govern
ments to Fishing Rights.

ments to Fishing Rights.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The President
yesterday sent to Congress the conclud-
ing correspondence between the United
States and Great Britain up to date,
touching the fur seal question in the
Behring Sea.
The correspondence embraces n letter dated
August g 1880, from Lord Salisbury to Sir Ju
lian Pauncefote, the British Minister here. In
reply TO Secretary Blaine's letter of last July
maintaining that the United States derived
from Russin rights OF jurisdiction over the
waters OF Behrng Sea to q distance OF 100 miles
from the const.
Lord Salisbury in his letter contends in brief
that England refused to admit any part of the
Russian claim asserted by the ukase OF 1891 OF
maritime jurisdiction and exclusive right OF
fishing throughout the whole extent OF Behring
Sea rs far north as Behring Straits; that the
treaties OF 1885 between Great Britain and Rus.
sia and the United States and Russia were re.
garded on both sides ms a remuneration on the
part OF Russin OF that claim in its entirety and
that though Behring Streits were known and
known by that name ut that time but was re.
garded as part of the Pacific Ocean.
After quoting further from later cor
respondence on the same question, Lord
Salisbury denies that Great Britain ever
admitted by act or by sufferance the ex-
traordinary claim of maritime iurisdic-
ton contained in the ulxase of 1921, and
says:
Tho inclosed copies OF correspondence OK.
traoted from the archives OF this office make IL
very dificult to believe that Mr.. Blaine has not
been altogether led into error. 1t results from
them that not only did Her Majesty's govern
ment formally protest against the uliase on its
first issue as contrary to the acknowledged law
of nations, but that the Russian government
gave a verbal assurance that the claim OF iuris
diction would not be exercised. In the subse.
quent negotiations great Importance was at
tnched to obtaining more formal disavowal of
the claim in the manner least hurtfu to Rus
sian susceptibilities but effectualy to
preclude its revival And this security the
British government undoubtedly considered
that both they and the United States had OBJ
tanned by the conventions of 1874 and 1925.
Lord Salisbury's letter concludes follows:
"rhe answer, therefore, to the questions with
which Mr. Blaine concludes his dispatch is that
Her Majesty's government has always claimed
the freedom oJ navigation and fishing in the
waters of Behring Sea outside the usual terri.
torial limits OF one marine league from the
coast; that II Ia impossible to admit that pub
lie right to fish, catch seals or pursue any other
lawful occupation on the high seas be held
TO be abandoned by nation from the mere fact
that for a certain number OF years 1t has not
suited the subjects of that nation to exercise
it."
Secretary Blaine in his response, addressed
to Sir Julian Pauncefote on December IL. at
the outset insists upon the correctness and
'alidty of the position which has been advo-
Gated bv the Government OF the United States
Legal and diplomatic questions he says, are
often found after prolonged discussion to de.
pend on the settlement of single point. Such,
In the judgment OF the President, Is the posi-
tion in which the United States and Great Brit
ain find themselves in the pending controversy
touching the true construction of the Russo
American and Anglo Russian treaties OF 1924
and 1925 Great Britain, Secretary Blaine says
contends that the phrase Pacific Ocean" as
used in the treaties, was intended to include
and does include the body OF water which is
now known as the Behriug Sea. The United
States contends that ahring Sea was not men.
toned or ever referred to, in either treaty, and
was in no sense included in the phrase Pacific
Ocean"
II Great Britain can maintain her position
that Behring Sea ut the time of the treaties
with Russia OF 1924 and 1873 was included in the
Pacific Ocean the Government of the United
States has no well grounded compl lint against
her. IT, on the other hand. this Government
can prove beyond all doubt that Behring Sea,
ut the date of the treaties, was understood by
the three signatory powers to be separate
phrase Pacific Ocean," then the American case
against Great Britain Is complete and unde-
niable
The dispute prominently involves the mean.
ing of u phrase northwest coast" or north
west coast of America" Lord Salisbury as
sumes that the northwest coast" has but enc
meaning and that it includes the whole coast
stretching northward to Behring Straits. The
contention OF this Government is that by long
prescription the northwest coast means the
coast OF the Pacific Ocean south OF the Alaskan
peninsula.
Secretary Blaine contends that the phrase
northwest coast" has been we'll known and
widely recognized in popular usage in England
and America from the date OF the first trading
TO that coast, and includes precisely the area
which has been steadily maintained by this
Government in the pending discussion. Mr..
Blaine quotes from the tire ties between Great
Britain and Russia and the United States and
Russia and insists that throughout the whole
correspondence connected with the formation
of the treaties there was no reference to any
distinctive name for Behring Sea, for the sim
pie reason that the negotiation had no refer
ence whatever to Behring Sea- but was entirely
confined to strip of land" on the northwest
coast extending from Mt. Elias down to Prince
of Wales Island. on the British North American
coast and to the waters OF the Pacific Ocean ad'
jacent thereto
LONDON. Jan. 6.-The Foreign Office
last night issued the following: 1.-THE
press statements which have been cabled
respecting the correspondence on the
Behring Sea question between the Brit
ish and American governments are un-
founded. A dispatch received on De-
cember 30 from Mr.. Blaine made pro-
posals respecting questions to be sub
mitted to arbitration. With this excep-
ton no communication whatever has
been received from the United States
Government on this subject in the past
three weeks, and no communication has
been made to the American Government
on the subject during the same period. VI
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