Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-03-31
WILL RUSSIA BACK US?
Ships to Assist in Guarding the Seal Fish
cries.

reported on good authority that the
President has been given by the Rus
sian minister assurances that the Rus
sian government will cooperate with
this government in the matter of pro-
tecting seal life in Behring Sea. The
Russian minister is credited with
the assertion that his govern
ment would add four men-of-
war to the feet of six ironclads now at
Vladivostock. Those senators who fav-
or the position the President has as
sumed in the correspondence with Lord
Salisbury found much to stiffen their
backbones when they learned that there
was a strong probability that Russia
would be found on the side of the Unit
ed States in the event Of hostllltles
growing out of the question of protect
ing the few seals remaining in B ehring
Sea.
Navy Department authorities hardly
know how far to go in the line of extra
ordinary preparations until the inter-
national correspondence bears a more
conclusive aspect, and they are impa-
tiently waiting for this to happen.
Meanwhile, although the navy officials
concede that our relations with Great
Britain are decidedly strained, few
of them in reality expect actual
hostllities to arse. 1t is also
pointed out by naval experts that
it VIII hardly be the policy of the de-
partment to concentrate a heavy force
of vessels in Behring Sea, for even If
hostilities should be preclpltated by an
exchange or shots in those waters the
war would not be fought there, but
nearer home. Whatever vessels are
sent to Behring Sea by either nation
will be intended simply Tor service in
connection with the sealing controversy,
and not with the idea of engaging in
any genera. conflict there. At present
there are seven or eight British war
ships on the Pacific station, three of
which are large cruisers. The latter
would probably not be sent to Behr1ng
Sea in any case, but would be retained
altogether likely that our heavy
cruisers now on the Pacific Coast will be
similarly held at San Francisco to await
developments. The principal indica-
ton Of active preparation at
the Navy Department is in con-
nection with the matter OF coal
supplies for the Behring Sea fleet.
Navy officials have been in consultation
during the last two or three days with a
re preventative of the North American
Commercial Company and received as
surances from him of the ability of the
company to furnish at Dutch harbor
ample supplies of coal for as large fleet
as the government could possibly send
northward at satisfactorily low rates.
The seriousness of the Behring Sea
situation is shown by the fact that Sec
rotary Blaine attended the cabinet
meeting to-day, Notwithstanding he has
not fully recovered from his severe at
tack of the grippe. All the other mem
bers were prompt in attendance.
Secretaries Foster and Tracy had con-
ference prior to the meeting, presum-
ably in regard to the orders to be sent
to the naval and revenue vessels
to be assigned to the duty
Of patroling the sealing grounds.
It is practically settled that this SER
vice will be ASST gned to the war ships
| Charleston, Baltimore, Boston, York
town, Adams, Ranger and Mohican, and
the revenue vessels Corwin, Bear, Rush
and Albatross.
The entire session of the cabinet was
devoted to the consideration of the
Behring Sea question. 1t is under
stood that this government will
await a reply from Lord Salisbury
to the Presidents note of the
22d inst. before proceeding on
the assumption that Great Britain will
not cooperate in measures for the
protection of the sealing industry. Sem
affairs committee, had an interview
with t - President to-day, in regard to
the treaty of ar arbitration.
A cabinet officer this afternoon stated
there is no truth in the report that
Russia had agreed to cooperate with
the United States to protect the ssal
herds in Behring Sea.
The correspondence in the Behring
Sea matter has been made public. It is
as follows:
BRITISH LEGATION. WAsHINToN, D. c..
MARCH. 10. 1S92.-Sir: On receipt of your
| note of March s, [ Immediately telegraph
ed to the Marquis of Salisbury the subject
of its contents, in accordance with the re-
quest which you expressed on behalf OF
! the President, and have now the honor to
inform you that [ have this day received
| following effect: Lord Salisbury again
points out that the information in posses
| sion of Her MaieSty'S government does not
| lead them to believe that another years
suspension OF sealing is necessary to pre-
| vent an undue dminution of the seal herds.
Ills ilONcfel, plOCccuS W Ot'SCAFO
| that, beyond this question. it is considered
| by your government that they have right
to be protected from the loss which they
may incur from free sealing being permit
| ted this year, in the event OF their claim to
Behring Sea beng upheld by the arbltra-
tors. He states that Her Majesty's govern
i ment does not dispute that after the ratlfic-
alton of the convention, there will be some
foundation for this contention, but he
adds that the Prohibition OF all
sealing as a remedy has this defect, that
| the British Sealers excluded from Behring
| Sea would have an undoubted ground OF
complaint, if the British claims should be
| upheld by the arbiirators. Moreover,
there is no security that the arbitration
Will be concluded before the sealing sea-
son of 1898. Thus an arbitration between
Great Britain, the United States and Portu-
gal, which has already occupied four years,
is still pending.
Serious damage would be caused to the
industry by suspension of sealing for a
long period. In view of all the above con-
siderations it appears to Her Majesty s
,n,,tf hot ho mo-