Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-05-08
REPLY TO SALISBURY
Secretary Blaine Defines Our
 Rights in Alaska.
ENGLAND's PREMIER IN ERROR
The United States Has Property Interest
 in the Seal Islands.

England Recognized the Interest During
 ereignty of the United states-The Law
 less Intrusion of Canadian Vessels Has
 Not ChanGca the Law.
 WASHINGTON, May S.-Secretary Blaine last night gave out for publication his latest letter to Lord Salisbury with refer ence to the sealing rights of this country in Behring Sea.
 It was addressed to the British Minis ter, Sir Julian Pauncefote, and is the plainest and most practical communica- tion that has been made on that time worn topic.
 It confirms the dispatches previously published on the apparent agreement to stop sealing for period in order that the seals may increase and multiply on the Pribyloff Islands.
 In this connection he says: "First, how far, if at all, outside the ordinary terri torial limits is it necessary that the United States should exercise an exclu- sive jurisdiction in order to protect the seal for the time living upon the islands of the United States, and the feeding there from?
 Second, whether a closed season (dur- ing which the killing of seals in the waters of Behring Sea outside the ordin- ary territorial limits shall be prohibited) is necessary to save the seal fishing indus try, so valuable and important to man. kind, from deterioration or destructionf And, if so, third, what months or parts of months should be included in such seasons and over what waters it should extend?'
 President Harrison's name is used throughout this long letter It states that the United States has never contend ed nor rested its case upon the contention that Behring Sea was Mare Clausum and that Lord Salisbury was in error in rest ing any argument upon that point.
 After discussing the jurisdiction which Russia maintained previous to the sale of Alaska to this country, which she relin- quished with the sale, and the jurisdic- tidh which England herself insists upon around her own coasts, and beyond the three-mile limit wherever her colonies are situated, MT. Blaine concludes:
 Who Owns the Seal Fisheries.
 1.-The government of the United States has steadily held just the reverse of the position which Lord Salisbury has i'm puted to it. It holds that the ownership of the islands upon which the seals breed, that the habit of the seals in regularly resorting thither and rearing their young IueESOU, that SOAhS ouO AAOLAA oAO island in search of food and regularly re- turning thereto, and all the facts and in- cidents of their relation to the island, give to the United States property in- terest therein; that this property interest was claimed and exercised by Russia dur ing the whole period of its sovereignty over the land and waters of Alaska; that England recognized this property inter- est so far as recognition is implied by ab- staining from all interference with it during the whole period of Russia's own ership of Alaska, and during the first 19 years of the sovereignty of the United States.
 ''It is yet to be determined whether the lawless intrusion of Canadian vessels in 1886 and subsequent years has changed the law and equity of the case heretofore prevailing.
 II have the honor to be, with the high est consideration, Sir, your most obedient servant JAMES G. BLAINE"