Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-03-26
STANDS FIRM,
Tho Seals to lie Protected at All Hazards,
No Matter whether England VIII Co
Operate or Not.

Tho Seals to lie Protected at All Hazards,
No Matter Whether England VIII Co
Operate or Not
WASHINGTON, March 22--It is impos-
sible to obtain my official information
concerning the note received from Lord
Salisbury on the Behring sea question.
The usual retcence OF officials on this
subject is said to be in accordance
with strict instructions, direct from the
president, that the communication shall
be withheld from the public. at least
until after its submission to the senate
One rumor that finds believers Is that
lord Salisbury has answered the prcsi.
dents note insisting on the necessity Of
a modus vivendi, with . counter propo.
sition that in case one is agreed upon
the United States agree to indemnify
Canadian vessel owners for the losses
incurred thereby. The United States
has already rejected a proposition Of
this kind.
Another report was in circulation
Monday night 70 the effect that the
communication is merely n short dis.
patch stating that the reply proper to
Acting Secretary Wharton's note Of the
sth inst. is being prepared, and nearly
ready, and that it will be adverse to
President Harrison's request for re-
newal of the modus vivcndi.
According to the same report the com.
munication further says in effect that
tho British government will not inter.
fere with the policing OF Behring sea
by U. S. vessels pending the negotia.
tions for the settlement Of questions at
issue by arbitration, though it may
hereafter ask for damages in behalf Of
such Canadian sealers as may suffer
by seizure or interference by American
vessels
Gen. ]. W. Foster. who is represent
ing the state department in this mat
ter, had two interviews with the pres.
idcnt on the subject Monday, one early
| in the, day and the other in the after
noon, and the impression is general
that they considered the character Of
the reply to lc made to Lord Sails
bury's last note. 1t is pretty well es-
tablshcd that the president is not dis.
posed to recede from the position al
ready assumed in regard to the preser.
vation of the seal herd, and that he
will take steps to secure that end. with
or without the cooperation of the Brit
ish government.
1t is said at the navy department that
no orders whatever have been issued
looking to the dispatch Of a naval fleet
to Behring sea this season, and that no
action Of that kind will be taken until
| the policy Of this government in this
matter has been clearly defined, or until
the department is informed that the
revenue vessels to be used in patrolling
the sea are inadequate for the service
notwithstanding this .semi-official state.
ment, it is known that the department
is preparing vessels for service in the
north Pacific ocean in the event that
| they shall be needed. These are the
Adams and the Ranger, now being
fitted out at Mare Island, Cal ,
both Of which will go into commission
in short time. Another vessel that
will undoubtedly 60 to Behring sea this
spring is the Mohican. now at Seattle.
0thsn. IVNls that can be utilized in
case itis deemed advisa BILE to strengthen
the feet are the Baltimore, at San
Francisco: the Charleston. at San
Diego, and the Boston and Yorktown,
now en- route to san Francisco, where
they will arrive within the next few
weeks These, or portion OF them,
with the four revenue vessels-Bear,
Rush, Corwin and Albatross, would
constitute quite formidable feet.