The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-02
The Behring Sea Bill.

LONDON, June LIN the commons To-Day
Smith moved that the Behring sea bill bt
read. Smith said the bill dealt with 6
question of urgency and was prompted by 6
desire that arrangements Of an amicable
character should be made to settle the dis
pute. He was sure all parties would agree
it was better that the difference be deter
mined by friendly arbitration than by more
barbarous methods. Hear Hear There
had been delay in submitting the question
to parliament owing partly to causes which
| those who had experience in diplomatic
negotiations would understand, and partly
to the illness of the Canadian premier who
had carried the respect of everyone who
had any knowledge of the services he had
rendered 10 the empire at large. Cheers. !
There would be but one feeling, that of
sorrow, that q life so valuable seemed
about to end. Hear! Hearll The consent
of the Dominion was subject to certain
conditions which appeared to be reasonable,
one being that ships fitted out under the
British flag for lawful fishing in Behring
sea be compensated for their loss during
the period of prohibition.
| Under the bill sealing is prohibited sim
ply within Behring sea- The eject will be
to greatly diminish the catch of seals and
great rise in the price of the kind OBJ
| talned. South of Behring sea, the prohi-
bItion will continue until 1882 within which
time it is expected arbitrathors would
make an award. 1t was not proposed that
an order be issued unless Russia also
consented to an entire prohibition within
! Behring sea-
Compensation depends upon the actual
loss the ship owner sustained There was
every reason to hope for the cooperation
of Canada. Harcourt agreed with Smith
that a serious misunderstanding between
England and the United States would be a
great calamity. The goEsrnment would
always receive the support of the oppOsi-
ton in referring international questions to
arbitration. The Behring sea dispute
seemed above all others to be one lending
itself to arbitration. Therefore he
had nothing to say except to ex-
press satisfaction with the course adopted.
IL was satisfactory TO find Canada a party
to the arrangement This was essential
still. She approved the arrangement,
although she thought the close time for
seals ought to be from October 1, 10 June
30, to prevail outside of Behring sea as well
as within. 1t was mistake TO suppose
seals within Behring sea were especially in
danger OF determination. On the contrary,
his information showed likelihood of there
being more seals in Behrng sea this year
than for long period.
Chamberlain hoped the government would
ascertain the position of maratime nations
whether the subjects for arbitration were
agreed upon with the United States; and
whether that power had withdrawn its
startling claims to almost exclusive pos
session of Behring sea. Would arbitration
be confined to precautions to preserve the
seals! The question of compensation was
of minor Importance Still. he could not
help thinking IL was hard that this should
fall on the British taxpayer. No compen-
sation should be paid, unless clear proof
was produced that the vessels were really
Canadian vessels.
George Osborne Morgan, Sir George
Campbell, Sir George Baden Powell and
Mr.. Bryce approved the issue of the
negotiations.
Sir James Ferguson, under foreign secre-
tary, said the arbitration would be con-
cerned not only with the respective rights
of England, the United States and Canada
in Behring sea, but also with measures to
preserve the seals. Overtures have been
made to Russia for the fixing of close
time. Although no answer had been re-
ceived, it was known Russia some time ago
The government assented with re-
luctance to the United States
that 1850 seals be taken this
year. The arrangement was Temporary
one for the removal Of a source of difficulty |
pending the arbitration. The matter TO be |
referred to the arbitration was still a sub- |
ject of correspondence, but the two gov
ernments had steadily approached the point /
of agreement, and he believed the reply
which was about TO be addressed to me
United States government would bring
them so closely together that harmonious
would soon be obtained. The
bill was then read second time
Ferguson, secretary of the foreign Office.
referring to Weiningby, the French naval
officer at St. Pierre, who would not allow
bait to be sold to United States fishermen
said it does not appear to be an infraction
Of the treaty Of ISIS with the United
States, but constitutes an interference /
with the rights OF British subjects and an
of jurisdiction inconsistent
with the rights of the British crown.
Therefore the government has brought the
natter to the attention of France.