The Portland daily press., 1892-03-10
DIPLOMATIC SMILES.
ENGLAND Wants to Cut Trees While
the Forest Is In Dispute.
MIR. BLAINE'S STATEMENT OF THE
MODUS vIyENDI TROUBLE.

Lord Salisbury Says 1t Is more Like cut
ting the Grass in Meadow, Because
Both the Grass and the Seals Will Be
the Behring Sea Controversy Sent to the
Senate.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-President
Harrison today sent to Congress the cor
respondence in the Behring sea matter
which has accumulated since the date of
the last publication, January 5, 1891, and
some notes of previous dates which have
not hitherto been made public. 1t be-
gins with note from Mr.. Blaine to Sir
.Jnlian Pauncefote, May 4, 1891, in which
he reviews the negotiations for a modus
vivendi pending the result of arbitration,
concessions made by the President in
consequence thereof, recital of the obli-
cations imposed on the North American
Company in return for the sealing privi-
lege, which make it necessary that they
should be allowed to take a limited NUM-
Der of seals contrary to the claim of
Great Britain that sealing should be alb
solutely prohibited on both sides, and
submits terms of agreement on that
basis.
On the next day, May 5, Sir Julian ac-
knowledged the above, of which a copy
was mailed and the precise terms tele-
graphed to London. He deprecates al
legged delay, refers to previous interviews,
mentions the exception taken to the two
conditions that the right to kill a certain
number of seals was reserved for the
American Company, and that the modus
vivendi was not to be put IN force until
arbitration was agreed upon, and ex-
presses satisfaction that the latter condi-
tion has been removed. May 26, Mr..
Adee wrote to Sir Julian Pauncefote,
pointing out reasons for which prompt
reply is desired, revenue cutters having
been ordered to proceed to the fisheries,
and the orders would be made definite
by the conclusion of an agreement.
May 9th, Sir Julian regrets the delay
and makes excuse on the ground of the
lateness of the proposal. The proposal
for modus vivendi by the British gov
ernment was submitted June Sd. The
modus vivendi, after further correspon-
dence, was established by proclamation
June 10Th.
Coming down to the recent correspon-
dence covering the modus vivendi, the
following notes were exchanged:
Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr.. Blaine.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. IS, 1892.
Sir:-On the occasion Of our interview
on the I'd inst, when you handed me the
draft of the Behring Sea arbitration con-
vention, which | forwarded to London
for the consideration of Her Majesty's
government, you asked me whether they
were prepared to agree to modus viven-i
di for the next fishery season in Behring
Sea. In transmitting the draft of the az
bitration convention to the Marquis of
Salisbury, did not fail to inform HIM of
your inquiry, and have now received a
reply from His Lordship to the effect
that Her Majesty's government cannot
express any opinion on the subject until
they know what modus yivendi you de-
sire to propose.
Mr.. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
WASHINGTON, February 26, 1892.
My Dear Sir Julian:-Mr. Myers, our
consul at Victoria, telegraphs me that
there are forty-six sailing schooners
cleared to date. Six OF seven more are to
90. At the same date last year 81 cleared. I
think from this you will see that if we
do not come to an understanding soon
there will be no need of agreement rela-
ting to seals in the Pacific or in the
Behring Sea. | will be glad il you will
let Lord Salisbury know this fact.
Mr.. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
WASHINGTON, March "a, 1892.
Sir:-I am in receipt of your favor of
the 10th. You therein inform me that
Lord Salisbury cannot express any
opinion on the subject of a modus
vivendi until he knows what we desire to
propose. am glad to hear that Lord
Salisbury contemplates a modus, for it is
obvious that it is impossible to conclude;
the arbitration within the time original
ly set Indeed, we shall. hardly be able
to enter upon it. The delays have been
much greater on the part of Great
Britain than on the part of the United
States.
Inreply to your inquiry, the President
suggests that the modus should be
much the same as last year in terms, but
that it should be better executed. 1t
was very ineffective last year, for there
were larger number of seals in Behring
Sea taken than ever before.
The vessels had set out before the mo-
dus was agreed upon, and it was impos-
sible to give them notice in time to pre-
vent them from taking seals. Her Ma
iesty's government did not take such eff
cient measures as an earlier date this
year would render practicable. If Her
Majestys government would make her
offor+e ,,,oct affioinp the Saa1ipU in tha