Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-08
THE FUR SEAL FURRY
Is Merely Diplomatic, and the Jingoes
Will Not Be in It
AN ENGLISHMAN'S EXPLANATION.
4 sensation in the Commons Over Motion
BY the Government to
STRENGTHEN A NORTH PACIFIC HARBoR

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrspArcHt
WASHINGTON, March There are nc
new developments to-day SO far as can nov
be learned in the Bering Sea controversy.
The illness of Secretary Blaine would have
prevented meeting of the committee to-
day even ii one was contemplated The
situation will be fully considered, however,
at the regular meeting tomorrow for the
purpose Of determining the policy Of this
Government in the event of Lord Sails
bury's continued refusal to renew the modus
vivendi for the coming season.
General j. W. Foster, OF the State De-
partment. who is assisting Secretary Blaine
IN the negotiations on this subject, had a
conference with the President on the situa-
tion this morning, and subsequently, con-
ferred with Mr.. Blaine at his home. Later
Sir Julian Peuncefote called at the State
Department and had an interview with As
sistant Secretary Wharton.
No Cause for the Least Alarm.
THE DISPATCH correspondent at New
York sends the following: Sir George
Baden Powell, of England, member of the
Bering Sea Commission, was at the Wind
sor Hotel this morning, and secuted the
idea of serious complications over the set
tlement of the seal question between this
country and Great Britain. He could not
see the faintest war speck on the inter
national horizon, and in the course of his
remarks he referred to the Americans rs
cousins" He stated that what the Com
mission was doing in Washington ives strict
in nature and could not be discussed. Sir
George was reminded that the newspapers
had published the statement that Lord
Salisbury had refused to renew the modus
vivendi of last year. He answered with
great emphasis:
'The newspapers are supposed to reflect
the mirror of truth, and often they do, but
I must state that in this instance they are
wrong. Certainly Lord Salisbury refuses
to renew the nodus vivendi of last year be-
cause the same conditions do not exist.
Modus vivendi in this case is q mere phase,
and means nothing. It is totally out of
place in the present instance and is used to
make point. I do not mind saying that
the work of the commission is progressing
favorably."
Will Be Submitted to Arbitration.
He said that the Ministry had practically
approved of the plan to submit the question
to arbitration. 1t differed in political COM
plexion from that of the executive Govern
ment, and cannot be depended upon to
ratify treaties and conventions made with
other countries. Sir George will return to
Washington in a few dars.
Dispatches from Ottawa, received at
Gloucester, Mass, state that Minister Tup-
per has introduced bill into the Canadian
Parliament which provides for the renewal
OF the modus vivendi. This, of
course, gives the American fishing fleet
plain sailing as far as all desirable privi-
leges in Canadian ports are concerned. Un-
der its provisions American fishermen, by
paving license fee of 81 80 per ton oftheir
craft, can buy bait and outfits, ship crews,
etc, in Canadian ports This gives ali that
is desired, and if fish are found in average
quantity in the Grand Banks the coming
season. there is every prospect that the
financial results will be the most satisfac-
tory in the history Of this branch of the
business owing to the high price of Goldfish
A Sensational Motion in the Commons.
A London cable says: In the House of
Commons to-day, on a motion to go into
Committee On Supply, the Hon. Sir Henry
Stafford Northcote, Conservative NJ. P. for
Exeter, took occasion to move that the |
House of Commons urge upon the Govern |
ment the necessity of immediate steps to
complete the harbor of protection at Esqui-
mault, British Columbia, which is the sta
tion for Her Maiesty's fleet in that part of
the Pacific. Sir Henry argued that the
route from Great Britain to Asia by way of
the Canadian Pacific route would not be Sc
cure unless steps should be taken. to make |
Esquimault harbor safe for the protection |
of commerce.
Rear Admiral Edward Field, Conserva- |
tive member of Parliament for Eastbourne,
supported the motion of Sir Henry, urging |
that the defense of British and Canadian |
interests imperatively required that the |
Government push to a completion the work |
at Esouimault
The motion created decided sensation in |
the House of Commons owing to the ex- |
element on the Bering Sea issue. 1t is be- |
lieved that the object in putting forward |
the motion was to get the sense of the |
House as to how far the Government would |
be supported in q firm attitude as to the |
seal fisheries.
Defeated Without Division.
William H. K. Redmond, Nationalist NJ. |
P. for Fermanagh, said in the debate that |
the defense of Esquimault was of more i'm |
portance to England than to Canada, and |
that England's action has not been generous |
toward the Canadians in insisting that they |
should stand a share of the burden in ex- \
cess of what they thought to be fair
Colonel Thomas Waring, Conservative
NJ. P. for North Down, ridiculed the state
ment OF Redmond, and defended the Gov
ernment. The Right Hon. George Osborne !
Morgan, Liberal NJ. P, for Denhigh Wales,
said that in behalf of the opposition he de-
sired to approve the extremely fair attitude
of the Government
Sir Stafford Northcote's motion that the
defenses of Esquimalt be at once completed,
was then put to a vote. 1t was defeated
without division of the House.