Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-10
Correspondence Laid Before
the Senate.
Salisbury and Pauncefote's Ii.
logical Arguments.
Uncle Sam Insists on the Renewal Of
the MOdus Vivendi.
The Senate In Executive Session Discusses
the Proposed Arbitration Treaty.
No Conclusion Yet
Reached.
ssociated Press Dispatches

Associated Press Dispatches.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-The presi-
dent today sent to the senate the cor
respondence regarding the Bering sea
question, covering period from April
20, 1891, to the date OF recent cores
pondence. The most important letters
are two from Sir Julian Paunceforte
under dates OF February Goth and March
9TH, and the reply sent yesterday.
In his note of February Goth, Sir
Julian informs Blaine that Salisbury
does not admit, as previously indicated
by Blaine, that delay had been greater
on the part of Great Britain than on the
part of the United States. He says the
British commissioners have reported
that there is no danger of a serious
diminution of the seals, and therefore
the necessity of modus vivendi is not
apparent. Still he would not object to
prohibition limited to zone more than
thirty miles around the Prlbylov,islauds,
provided that fishing on the islands be
limited to 10000.
Under date OF March 9Th, Sir Julian
presents argument in support of Lord
modus vivendi. He says there is no
apparent danger to the seal species. He
adds that the zone proposed is more eX-
tensive than that mentioned by Blaine
March 16, 1891. and the anticipation OF
conflicts considered in the note of May
4, 1891. has been met by the provision
of the Bering sea act, the courts and an
order in council.
In the response sent Yesterday, Assist
ant Secretary Wharton states that the
President notices with the deepest
regret the indisposition Of her maiesty's
government to agree upon an effective
modus for the preservation of seals in
the Bering sea, pending the set
tlement OF the respective rights OF
the two governments in these
waters and in the seal fisheries
therein. He calls attention to the fact
that arbitration waits only on the action
of the American senate, and that the
Judgment of the arbitration tribunal
cannot be stated in time to control the
conduct of sealers during the present
season. The urgent question, he says,
is: What does good faith, to say moth
ing of International comfy, require of
the parties to the arbit-ation?" Was it
very hard before, che asked" that one
party to such controversy, whether a
nation or an individual, could appropri.
ate the whole or any part of
the income and profits, much
less the body Of the contested property
pending litigation, without accountable
ity." 1t is no answer for the trespasser,
it is contended, to say that the true
owner will have an undiminished har-
vest next year. Last year the harvest
was his also; aud further, this govern
ment has already been advised that Great
Britain repudiates all obligations to in
.demnify the United States for any in
vasion of it's jurisdiction or any injury
done to it's sealing property by Canadian
sealers.
In conclusion, it is stated that this
government will honorably abide by
the Judgment of the arbitration tri-
bunai which has been agreed upon,
whether that judgment be favorable or
unfavorable. and will not seek to avoid
just responsibility for any OF its acts
which by that judgment are found to be
unlawful; but certainly the United
States cannot be expected to suspend
the defense by such means as are with
in it's power of the property and juris-
dlctional rights claimed by it, pending
arbitration, and to consent to receive
tucm lTOm LIl0 tTtDuudl. IL dWdTueu,
sho-n of much of their value by the acts
OF irresponsible persons.
The senate committee on foreign
relations today spent an hour in the
consideration of the Bering sea arbitra
tion treaty. While it was practically
decided that the treaty should be re-
ported to the senate with recommenda-
Sion that it be approved, no formal
action OF that nature was taken, as the
committee believed the prudent course
to be to await the receipt from the pres-
ident of Lord Salisburyss reply to the
Last proposition looking TO the renewal
of the modus vivendi in operation laet
season.
At 2:30 the senate went into execu-
tive session, ON motion of Sherman, to
receive the message of the president on
the subject of the Bering sea arbitration
negotiations.
Two and one-half hours were spent in
discussing the treaty, but as tie treaty
was not reported by the committee on
foreign relations, there was no action
upon it, the proceedings being confined
to expression of individual views.