Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-03-05
A SERIOUS OUTLOOK.
The Behring Sea Com
plications.
AN ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS
About the Seal Industry Will Be In.
sisted Upon by the United States.

WASHINGTON, March j--The course OF
the negotiations between the United
States and Great Britain, touching tho
seal fisheries in Behring sea, is being
closely watched by the members of tho
committees of the senate and house hav-
ing To do with foreign relations. The re-
port that Lord Salisbury has refused Go re-
new the modus Niyendi under which the
two governments last year undertook to
prevent Illicit sealing in Behring sea was
received with dissatisfaction. IL is rea'-
lied that the arbitration provided for In
the treaty about TO be- submitted TO the
senate cannot be completed In time to
avail for the protection of the seal waters,
and Lord Sslisbury's proposition looking
TO the establishment Of n protected belt
extending only thirty miles from the
shore of the Pribylou islands is looked
upon az being entirely Inadequate to meet
the case.
The members OF the committee do not
care 10 embarrass the executive by COM
ments upon the subject but privately they
do not disguise their belief that unless the
British government shows n disposition
to Join In protecting the waters OF Behring
sea from poachers during the progress OF
arbitration, the United States govern
ment itself must undertake the task and
execute the law, which has not been re.
pealed, requiring II to protect the seal fish
cries
II this course Is followed. the situation
will assume phase very similar To that
preceding the adoption of the modus
vivcndi last year, and the government will
resume the policy OF selling offending yes.
sells, which may lead TO energetic protests,
aud perhaps rctalistory action, 10y Great
Britain.
The Joint commi ->iou on the Behring
sen seal fisheries held It's final session ut
the state department yesterday afternoon.
After signing joint report embOdyiLR n
statement o. facts as to all points CON
nected with the sealing industry ,on which
th ne Is no dispute, the commission ad-
journed sine die.
II Is understood TINT no agreement WAS
reached on the main question at issue, as
20 whether or not closed season and a
prohibition of pelagic sealing are essential
for the preservation Of the seal species. II
Is said that the representatives OF the
United states advocated policy of this
kind for limited period, and that the
representatives of Great Britain opposed
Il. There WILL therefore, bc Two separate
reports on this point These, together with
the joint report on matters of minor im.
portancc, will bc submitted 10 the board
Of arbitration when that body shall have
been organized
In the meantime tho treasury depart
ment Is making the usual arrangement
tor the enforcement Of the laws in regard
10 the seal fisheries, aud the revenue cut
tiers Rush, Corwin and Bear are being
fitted out AT san Francisco for their an.
nual cruise in BchrinS sea. The scaling
feet hae already begun operations in the
vicinity of the Columbia river, and the
treasury department Is considering the adj
visibility of dispatching revenue cutter
there, to sec that no scaling is done
within three miles Of United States terri