Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-10

Twenty days after the delivery of The CONN
ter cases the arbitrators are required to meet
in Paris TO examine and impurtially decide the
questions laid before them. Hence in oil hkeli-
hood the arbitration, if no further obstacles
are encountered. will begin some time in Febru-
sry next.
Ten days after the arbitrators meet Agents
Foster and Upper will deliver In duplicate to
the arbitrator and to each other a printed
argument showing the points and referring to
the evidence upon which each depends and
each party viii then support it's respecti tive case
by oral argument Of counsel The decision of
the tribunal Is to be made. IL possible, within
three months from the close of argument on
both sides. That would make the decision due
about June 20 next, allowing two weeks for
argument and consultation. But the chances
are that final conclusion will not be-
reached until some weeks after, say in july or
August, 1888. Although Secretary Fosters du-
ties as head Of the State Department will nee
essarlly cease with the Inauguration of Mr.
Cleveland's administration vet he will doubt
less continue to act as agent in the Boring sea
case, inasmuch as any change of persons at this
stage would imperil this governments success
II tue determination of the questions at issue
as to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United
States over Boring sea shall leave the subject in
such position a. to require the concurrence of
Great Britain in establishing regulations for the
preservation of the seals the arbitrators are in.
sructed to determine what concurrent regula-
tons outside the jurisdictional limits Of the re-
spective governments are necessary. To aid
them in this the reports of the special commits
sIoners will be filed, setting forth all the
facts relating to seal life in Boring sea and the
measures needful for its protection. These re-
ports are not TO be made public until they are
submitted to the arbitrators, or until it shall
appear that the contingency requiring their use
by the arbitrators cannot arise.
CLAIMS FOR INJURIES
The question of liability for injuries alleged
to have been sustained respectively BY the
United States and Canada at the hands of each
other in connection with the controversy NAV
be referred to the arbitrator and determined
by them as to questions of fuct and the liabil-
ity upon the facts when found is to be made
the subject Of further negotiations out
side the present tribunal. In addition
and by the terms of the later modus
yivendi convention, proclaimed on May
8 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 Boring sea within the bounds claimed
by the United States under its purchase OF
Alaska. then compensation must be made BY
the United States to Great Britain for the lat
ter's abstinence from the exercise of her right
pending the arbitration, upon the basis of such
a limited catch as in the opinion of the arbi-
traitors might have been taken without an un-
due dlmlnutlon OF the seal herds. IT, on the
contrary the result Of the arbitration shall be to
deny the right of the British to have taken
seals, then compensation must be made by
Great Britain to the United States for loss sus-
tanned by the latter and its lessees from the
limitation OF the catch to $500 skins during
the closed season. The governments of the
United States and Great Britain are to bear the
expenses OF their own agents, arbitrators COM
missioners and counsel, together with all the
other expenses OF the arbitration in equal
mOieties.
BY these means it is hoped that the vexatious
controversy between the two great English
speaking nations of the world may be amicably
adjusted, In harmony with the modern and en-
hghtened idea of peaceful arbitration as
against an appeal to physical force and arms
The dispute originated only seven years
ago, in 1885, when the seal-poachinr
craze first broke out among the Canadians
During the long period in which the Pribyioy
Islands and Boring sea were owned by Russia
and for fourteen Years after they had been pur-
chased by the United States, no private indi-
viduals seemed to have thought of killing the
seals. In 1884, however, the President. through
the Secretary of the Treasury, publicly announced
to foreigners and Americans as well that this gov
ernment asserted jurisdiction over Boring sea
and nobody disputed it. But in 1886 the
poaching craze growing apace, Secretary Man
ming proclaimed that this government would
maintain the same position it had asserted in
1881. and during that summer, by his orders.
one American and three Canadian schoopers
were seized for poaching. In 1887 a larger
number of coaching vessels were seized by
United States cutters. In 1888 the seizures
were stopped al the instance Of Lord Salisbury
pending propositions for arbitration.
THE SEAL F1sHERIEs
While the United States government did not
disclaim the absolute right to assert iurisdic-
ton over Boring sea- it was willing to waive
that right if, by an international agreement. it
could insure the preservation of the seal fish
cries. Great Britain on her own part had and
still has valuable interest in the preservation
Of seal life. London is the worlds center for
furs, and more than 900 British subjects are
employed In that city alone in the cur
ing and preparation of sealskins. To ex-
terminate the seals Of Boring sea would be
to destroy that industry for London
dresses sealskins for the whole world, and there
are only two other fur seal rookeries in exist
ence, and these are inferior and small From
1902 up to 1862, when the seal fisheries were
closely guarded, the Russia n American Fur
Company in Boring sea reaped as profits the
gigantic aggregate of &c, 395 900 roubies or 40
per cent annually for sixty years as interest on
their investment.
After the seizures were abandoned in 1883 il
transpired that the British government. while
entirely willing itself to come to a satisfactory
agreement, was deferred from SO doing by
Canada, whose people were carrying on the
| nefarious determination of the seals, and hay-
ing no interest in their preservation beyond the
present, strongly opposed any restrictive meas
ures. Accordingly no arrangement was eff
fected, and in 1889 seizures of poaching vessels
were resumed by United States cutters. After
thirty days contention with Lord Salisbury by
| cable. however, the seizures were again dis
continued.
But since then, upon agreements with Great
Britain for closed seasons under a modus vi
vendi, seizures have been made both by British
and American cutters, although more poachiug
seems to have been done in that period than
ever before. In fact. it is declared by this gov
ernments experts that, should the destruction
Of the seals by pelagic fishing continue three
years more At the rate OF the past two years.
the seal herds would be practically extermi-
mated. OF the seals slain in this manner
IS per cent are females, helpless and heavy
| with young, and, owing to the difficulty
OF taking them in the water only one seal on
an average out Of seven killed at sea is secured
and marketed. thus involving ruthless, wan
ton, harbarous aud irreceverable waste OF four-
| teen seals to every skin obtained The peach
ers have been killing about $50 900 grown seals
every year since 1885, and out OF this annual
| slaughter they have taken only IS, 900 skins
each year.
Lord Salisbury, in 1890, upon the urgent
representations OF Secretary Blaine. again ex-
pressed the readiness Of her maiesty's govern
mert to refer the matter to impartial artitra-
ton, but the offer was rejected for the reason
mat the FORM o. submission proposed was in