Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-06-17

Unprecedented Work. of the State De-
pa9isne1.1-U United States Privileged
to Seize Offending British
Vessels-Two War Yes
sells 10 Put Out.

WASHINGTON, d. c., June 15-The
President to-day issued the following
proclamation:
WHEREAS, An agreement for 7ROduS
UjUendj between the government Of the
United States and the government of Her
Britannia Majesty in relation to the tur-
Their seal fisheries in Behring Sea was con-
cluded on the 10Th day Of June in the year
OF our Lord 1891, word for word as fol
lows:
Agreement between the government of the United
states and the government of Her Britannia
Majesty tor @odus rfTendt in relation TO the
fur seal fisheries in Behring sea.
For the purpose of avoiding irritating differ
e1ceS. and with view to promote the friendly
settlement OF the questions pending tetween
the two governments touching their respective
rights IN Behrlng Sea, and for the preservation
of the seal species, the following agreement is
made without pI eiudice to the rights or claims
of either party:
l. Her Majestys government will prohibit
until May next. seal killing in that part OF
Behrlng Sea lying eastward of the line of de
narration described in article No. IS of the
treaty of 1867. between the United States and
Russia. and will promptly use its best efforts to
insure the observance of this prohibition by
British subjects and vessels.
The government will prohibit seal killing
for the same period in the same part of Behring
Sea. and on the shores and islands thereof, the
property of the United States lin excess of 75OG
10 be taken on the islands for the subsistence
and care OF the natives) and will promptly use
its hest efforts to ensure the observance of thii
pre- hibition by the United States citizens and
vessels.
S. Every person offending against this prohi-
bitlon In the SAID waters of Behring Sea outside
of the ordinary territorial limits of the United
States may be seized and detained by the naval
or other. duly commissioned. officers OF
either of the high contracting parties
but they shall be handed over as
soon as practicable to the authorities
of the nation to which they respectively belong,
hon oln hnx-a ir,riS iof;,N 80
Tense and impose the penalties for the same.
The witnesses and proofs necessary to establish
the otfense shall also be sent with them.
4. In order to facilitate such proper inquiries
as Her Majestys government may desire to
make, with q view to the presentati ton of the
case of that government before arbitrators, and
in expectation that an agreement for arbijTa-
tion may be arrived at it is agreed that suitable
persons designated by Great Britain will be
permitted at any time upon application, to visit
or to remain upon the seal islands during the
present sealing season for that purpose.
Signed and sealed in duplicate at Washington
this 18th day of June, 1891, on behalf of their
acting secretary of state of the United States,
and Sir Julian Pauncefote, q. NJ. G., X. c. B.,
II. B. NJ, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary.
WILLIAM f. WHARTON. SeaD
JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. Seal
Now, therefore, be it known that I, Ben
iamln Harrison, president of the United
States of America have caused the said
that the same and every part thereof may
be OF served and fulfilled with good faith
by the United States OF America and the
citizens thereof.
In witness hereof, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal Of the United
States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this
18th day of June, in the year of our Lord,
1891. BENJAMIN HARRISON.
SEAL.
BY the President, VIM. F. Wharton, acting
Secretary of State
The arrangement indicated in the
above proclamation was carried to COM
pletion with a degree of speed without
precedent in the history of the State De-
partment, and the cable has been re-
lied on to an unwonted extent The
agreement was signed this morning by
Sir Julian Pauncefote and Mr.. Wharton,
and the presidential proclamation fol-
lowed as quickly as it could be prepared.
The Navy Department has also been ad-
yised of the progress and necessities of
the case, and orders are now in prepare
ton for the immediate dispatch of prob.
ably two naval vessels from San Fran
cisco to Alaska, where they will assist
the three revenue cutters in the task CT
driving out the poachIng sealing vessels.
1t will be noticed that the agreement
authorizes the United States vessels to
seize offending British vessels, which,
however, are TO be turned over to the
British authorities for trial, and this
feature Of the agreement is expected to
prove of great value in the pressing
emergency that is held to exist in clear
ing out the law-breakers before irrepa-
rable damage has been done to the seal
fisheries.
WINNIPEG, Man., June 15.-John
Robson, premier of British Columbia,
passed through Winnipeg yesterday en-
route to Ottawa, where he goes
to discuss with the Dominion au-
thorlties matters of great i'm
portance pending between the ted
eral government and that of the
province. One Of the questions that he
proposes to discuss is that of sealing
and the manner in which British Co.
Iumbia interests will be affected I'm
der the new sealing law which
has just passed the British House
of Commons. To interfere with
sealers this year would, Mr..
Robson holds, be ruinous. Most of the
echooners owned in Victoria are al
ready in Behring; others are on their
way thither and all have been fitted
out at great expense, which will
be utterly lost were they inter
fered with in the way proposed this
season. Another important subject,
Mr.. Robson said, is the Gettlement OF
the Alaskan boundary anu the DISPOSE
ton Of long strip Of territory by the
seashore in regard to which the Domin-
ion, if not the PROVING, should have
Samat hiu0 to saw