The record-union., 1892-03-17

Vlgor by the law than is accorded 10 tne
Poundmaster."
A NEW PHASE OF THE BEHRING
SEA MATTER.
The delay of Premier Salisbury to re-
ply to the note of the President forwarded
on the Sth inst, relative to the Behring
Sea seal fisheries. is very provoking.
The English Cabinet must have known
two weeks or more ago just what its posi-
ton will be, because it could not have re-
fused to renew the closed season pending
arbitration without knowledge of all that
refusal involved. The people are graft
fed that the Government is going for
ward with its preparations to patrol the
sealing waters and enforce the regula-
tions provided by the law.
The whole matter between England
and our country comes down to this sim
pie proposition; Shall the seals be exter-
minated or shall the restriction upon seal
taking be enforced and the fisheries pre-
served? II the British scaling fleet now
fitting out enters the sea and takes seals
in mid d-ocean and beyond the thirty-mile
belt referred to in Lord Salisbury's origi-
nal note, in single season the fate of the
fisheries viii be determined. Professor
Elliott, an expert, assures the Govern
ment that it will mean extinction of the
do Hhor at,1 Tho Ditad StaTnE
cannot calmly contemplate, and must not
permit. A singular phase of the matter
is that an English claim to free seal TAX
ing is not and never has been preferred to
the Russian marine territory. Yet if the
British Government is correct in the
proposition it takes, a claim to capture
cisely on the same footing as the claim Of
right to take them upon the American
side of the line.
AT this point in the consideration ofthe
question new light is turned upon it.
The news is that Russia has already
entered her protest against the ratifica-
ton of the arbitration treaty between the
United States and Great Britain. Russia
says. in brief: I'VE sold Alaska and the
marine territory to the United States.
Any arbitration proposed concerning the
title of the United States to full control
over that territory by implication is
cloud upon Russia's right to sell, and
that cannot be permitted" Russia adds,
"We stand ready to guarantee the title we
gave; to hold the United States good for
all purchases of US. The United States
must not permit the title we passed to
be called into question or be menaced by
any arbitration before European powers.
Such arbitration will be held contemptu-
Gus by Russia"
OF course, if such protest has been
entered, it is prompted by Russia's fear
that judgment by arbitration would
become a precedent under which any
foreign power could prefer claims in the
Russian half of the sea, such as the
English make to our half.
On the other hand, we own the marine
territory; it is ours SO completely that the
grantor has nothing to say how we shall
treat concerning it, or how we shall dis
pose of it, or use it. 1t is a matter. in
short, wholly personal to the United
States. Moreover, by the stipulation
which forms the basis for all the negotia-
tions had with Great Britain on the sub
ject, we waived the question of a closed
sea; that is not one of the things to be
considered by the arbitrators.
Russia, however, by reason of her
ownership of similar and adjoining
marine property. has the right to take
alarm at any proceeding which might
commit friendly powers to a policy in
imieal to Russia's maintenance of her ex-
elusive ownership of half of the sealing
waters of the north. Without disputing
the right of the United States to act un-
wisely, to commit itself to error and to
waive right others would defend, Rus
sia, by her protest, has the undisputed
right to notify all concerned that she viii
not recognize a judgment by arbitration.
1t is possible. therefore, that the Eng
lish delay in responding to the note of the
United States may be occasioned by the
attitude of Russia upon this question. 1t
may be possible that the effect of the Rus
sian note will be the defeat of the arbi-
tration treaty, and, if that results, we ap-
prehend that the people of the United
States will not make 1t an occasion for
tears. There is very strong feeling that
we have been outgeneraled in the whole
matter, anyhow, and that if the question
were restored to its primary condition it
would be better for the United States
In other words that if we could again
get back to the original position and in
sist upon our exclusive right to regulate
the seal fisheries, without suggestion
from or interference by any one, that
England, after little bluster, would
yield.
Mr.. CLEVELAND has written letter,
in response to inquiry, which means that
he is a candidate for the Presidential
nomination of his party. In the mean
time Senator Hill is swinging around the