Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-11


is termed in International legal parlance its
"printed case" accompanied BY the docu-
ments, the official correspondence and other
evidence on which each side relies. What is
called a printed counter case" was like
wise to have been furnished with additional
documents, correspondence and evil
proper; but unexpected delay was
met with in its preparation. The counter
case of each party, however, is now we'll
advanced, and, it is expected by the State
Department, will be completed and deIiv-
cred before the end of this month, although
by special provision of the treaty so days
extra time beyond December is allowed if
found to be absolutely necessary for the
procurement of new evidence in rebuttaL
The Ivan Perroff Sensation.
The alleged perversion of facts furnishes
to the State Department by Ivan Petroff,
the Alaskan census expert, caused quite a
furry in official circles here last month, but
it has not affected this Governments case
and counter charge in the least, so far as
arguments and data are concerned. Petroff
was not employed to furnish facts, but
merely to translate certain Russian docu-
ments, aud his intentional errors of transla-
tion were quickly rectifed when discovered.
Twenty days after the delivery of the
counter cases, the arbitrators are required
to meet in Paris, to examine and impartlally
decide the questions laid before them.
Hence in all likelihood the arbitration, if
no further obstacles are encountered, will
meet some time next month.
Ten days after the arbitrators meet Agents
Foster and Tupper will deliver in duplicate
to the arbitrators and to each other a
prin ted argument, showing the points and
ref tn 10 aah
depends. and each party will then support
its respective case by oral argument of
counsel The decision of the tribunal is to
be made, if possible, within three months
from the close of argument on botn sides.
That would make the decision due about
May 20 next allowing two weeks for argu-
ment and consultation. But the chances
are that final conclusion will not be
reached until some weeks after, say in June
or July, 1898.
One Case of HoId-Over Certain.
Although Secretary Fosters duties as
head of the State Department will neces-
sarily cease with the Inauguration of Mr..
CIevelan5's administration, vet he will
doubtless continue to act as agent in the
Berlng Sea case, inasnuch as any
change of persons at this stage
would imperil this Governments success.
If the determination of the questions at
issue as to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
United States over Bering Sea shall leave
the subject in such position as to REQUIRE
the concurrence of Great Britain in estab-
fishing regulations for the preservation of
the seals, the arbitrators are instructed to
determine what concurrent regulations out
side the jurisdictisaal limits of the respec-
tive governments are necessary. To aid
them in this the reports CT the special COM
missioners will be filed, setting forth all the
facts relating to seal life in Bering Sea and
the measures needful for its protection.
These reports are not to be made public un-
til they are submitted to the arbitrators. or
until it shall appear that the contingency
requiring their use by the arbitrators can
not arise.
The question of liability for injuries al
legged to have been sustained respectively
by the United States and Canada at the
hands of the other in connection with the
controversy may be referred to the arbitra-
tors and determined by them as to questions
of fact, and the, liability upon the facts
when found is to be the subject of further
negotiations outside the present tribunal
The Questions of Compensation.
In addition, and by the terms of the later
modus-vIvendi convention proclaimed on
May 9 last, if the result of the arbitration
shall be to affirm the right of British sealers
during the continuance OF the modus to take
seals in Behring Sea within the bounds
claimed by the United States under its pur-
chase from Russia, then compensation must
be made by the United States to Great
Britain for the latter's abstinence from the
exercise of her right pending the arbitra-
tion, upon the basis of such a limited catch
as in the opinion of the arbitrators might
have been taken without an undue diminu-
tion of the seal herds If, on the other
hand, the result of the arbitration shall be
to deny the right of the British to have
taken seals, then compensation shall be
made by Great Britain to the United States
Tor loss sustained by the latter and its
lessees from the limitation of the catch to
1900 skins during the closed season. The
Governments of the United States and
Great Britain are to bear the expenses of
their own agents. arbitrators, commission
ers and counsel together with all other ex-
penses of the arbitration in equal moieties
By this means it is hoped that the vexa-