Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-07
THE BERING SEA CASE.
CONTINUED from First Pdqe.

| swarm with vessels engaged in sealing NOT
| forty or fifty, now, but many hundreds,
! through the summer months III that pri' =.
/ lege should be given to Canadian vessels ~
must of course be conceded at once to Ameri-
can vessels II the rookeries are TO De thrown
open to Canadians they would certainly,
rs matter of common right, be thrown open 70
citizens of the United States. Inc scar hotn-
ers which REQUIRE an area of from forty 10 MY
miles from the islands, on all sides, 10 secure
food for their Young. would be slaughtered by
hundreds of thousands, and in a brief space OF
time there would be no seals In the berlng
/ sea-"
THE ENGLISH POSITION.
With reference to a suggestion as to restric-
tions that Great Britain might be willing to
make to protect the seal fisheries, a letter was
received from Sir Julian Pauncefote on June 9,
1890 1t is interesting at the present crisis and
reads as follows:
at Is entirely beyond the power of her
majestys government to exclude British or
Canadian ships from any portion OF the high
seas, even for an hour. without legislative sane
ton Her majesty's government have always
been willing, without pledging themselves to
details on the questions Of area and
date, to carry on negotiations, hoping
thereby TO come to some arrangement for such
close season as Is necessary In order to pre-
serve the seal species from extinction, but the
provisions of such all arrangement would al
measures thereby determined may be enforced"
WHAT WILL THIS GOVERNMENT DO?
The question of alI-absorbing interest at the
present time is to what attitude this govern
ment will take in the matter now. The Senate
is likely TO ratify the treaty under a stipulation
that 1t shall only 60 into effect with q rene wal
for another season of the modus yiyendi Of last
year.
That will throw upon Lord Salisbury the re-
sponslbIlity OF breaking of negotiations simply
because he will not agree this year to what he
considered last year a falr proposition.
1t Is the almost Unanimous opinion Of u. s.
officials who have had to deal with this ques-
ton that the attitude assumed by Great Britain
IN regard to the modus vivendi Is untenable.
ORDERS TO CAPTURE ALL sEALEB.
Is Is safe to say that unless the modus vivendi
is renewed and unless the United States goes
back on the attitude taken all along, orders will
be issued to the revenue marine vessels to cap
ture all sealers, who may be regarded as poach-
ers- This may lead to some serious complica-
lions and 1t Is generally admitted that the stu
alton at the present time is really critical one
Ii, as II has been Claimed, all that Great Britain
desires in the matter is to have a vessel seized
IN order that perfect test case may be
brought before the United States Supreme
Court she is very likely to have her wish salts
he'd Such a claim, however, is anything but
Pauncefote made on June IA. 1890.
SIR JULIAN's FORMER PROTEST.
This may be regarded as significant now in
asmuch as the situation is for all practical pur-
poses just what it was when this communication
was sent to this government The protest was
as follows:
The undersigned, her Britannia majesty's
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipoten-
tlary to the United States Of America, has the
honor, by instruction of his government. to
make to the Hon. James G. Blaine Secretary of
State of the United States, the following COM
municatiOn:
Her Britannia majesty's government have
learned with great concern from notices which
have appeared in the press. and the general
accuracy of which has been confirmed by MIR.
Bl&ines statements to the undersigned, that the
government of the United States have issued in
structions TO their revenue cruisers about to
be despatched to Boring sea, under which the
vessels of British subjects viii again be ex-
posed. In the prosecution of their legitimate
industry on the high seas, to unlawful inter-
ference at the hands of American officers.
Her Britannia majesty's government are
anxious to cooperate to the fullest extent of
their power with the government Of the United
States In such measures as may be found to be
expedient Tor the protection Of the seal fish,
cries They are at the present moment engaged
IN examining, in concert with the government
of the United States. the best method of arrIv-
ing at an agreement upon this point. But they
cannot admit tine right of the United States OF
their own sole motion to restrict Tor this pur-
pose the freedom of navigation of Boring sea.
which the United States have themselves i'll
former years convincingly and successfully
indicated, nor to enforce their municipal leg
lslatiOn against British vessels on the high seas
beyond the limits OF their territorial jurisdic-
ton.
''iIer Britannia msjesty's government are
her 10 TO,
the public announcement of an intention on
the part OF the government of the United
States to renew the acts Of interference with
British vessels navigating outside the terri
torlal waters OF the United States, of which
they have previously had to complain.
The undersigned is in consequence in
strueted formally 20 protest against such inter
ference, and to declare that her Britannia
majesty government must hold the govern.
ment of the United States responsible for the
consequences that may ensue from acts which
are contrary to the established principles of ill.,
ternational law. The undersigned. &c.
JULIAN PAUSCEFoTR."
No NEW DEVELOPMENT
There were no important developments in
the case today. Gen. Foster, who is assisting
Secretary Blaine in these negotiations. called
at the White House and had a talk with the
President and later called upon Mr.. Blaine at
his residence. Sir Julian Pauncefote later
called upon Assistant Secretary Wharton at the
State Department and was closeted with him
for some time.
The nature of the interview could not be as
certained, but it is understood that the min
lister had no communication from Salisbury
that would indicate any change in the attitude
of the British government
The illness OF Secretary Blaine prevented the
holding OF cabinet meeting today, but one
will be held tomorrow, at which the situation
viii be considered, and in all probability the
policy of this government will be more def
niiely fixed upon.