The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-03-25
BEHRING SEA CORRESPONDENCE,
The Letters Of Lord Salisbury and U. s.
Officials on the Behring
Sea Question.

Sea Question.
WASHINGTON, March 24.-The follow.
ing is the late correspondence between
the United States and Great Britain re
specting the B3hring sea controversy. in
part
In note to Mr.. Blaine, dated
February 18th, Sir ulian Pauncefote
says: "ln reply to your letter of yes
terday, beg to state that in my
opinion, the British commits .ioners
are right in holding that they have no
power under their present mandate to
discuss the question of modus rirendi
for the next fishery season. Their au-
thority is confined to reporting their
views on what fishery regul atoms of
permanent character may be neces-
sary with view to a"bitra-
ton. The question of mod4srirendi;,
pending the result of the arbitration is
one for the governments to discuss.
communicated to Lord Salisbury the
proposal you made to me at our inter-
view of the second instant that our
governments should agree to a modus
rjrendi, and am awaiting his Lord
ships reply"
Sir Julian Pauncetote, writing to
Mr.. Wharton March 18th, says: son
receipt of your note OF the Sth inst,
Immediately telesraphed to the Mar
quis of Salisbury the substance of its
contents in accordance with the re-
quest which you expressed on behalf
of the President, and l have now the
honor to inform you that l have this
day received reply from his lordship,
by Telegram, TO the following effect:
Lord Salisbury again points out that
the information in the possession of her
majesty government does not lead them
to believe that another years suspension
of sealing is necessary to prevent an undue
diminution OF seal herds. His Lord
ship, however, proceeds to observe tha
beyond this question it is considered b.
your government that they have RICH
to be protected from the loss which the
incur from free scaling being pcrmitte,
this year in the event of their claim t
Behrirg sea being upheld by arbitrators
He Uord Salisbury state
that her majesty's governmcn
does not dispute that after the rat
fcation of the convention, there will b
some foundation for this contention; bu
he adds that the prohibition OF all sea
ing as 9 remedy has this defect, that tn
British sealers excluded from Behrin
sea would have an undoubted ground {
complaint if the British claim shoul
be upheld by the ar0urators. Moreuv,
there is no security that the arbi.ratio
will be concluded before the sealin
season of 1S03 Thus an arbitratic
between Greai Britain, the Unite
States and Portugal, which has a
ready occupied Sur years. is still pen
ing. Serious dam ge would be cause
to the industry by suspension
sealing for long period In view
all the above considerations it appca
to her majesty's government that
will be more equitable to provide tn
sealing in Behring sea shall contin
on the condition that the owner
every sealing vessel shall give securi
for satisfying any damages which t
arbitrators may adjudge. l shall
glad to learn that the above suegt
tions meet with the concurrence Of yo
government"
Mr.. Wharton, writing to Sir JUL
Pauncefote March 22d, says: IL {
directed by the President to say ii
your note dated the 9th has had
immediate attention in view of what
deems to be the extreme urgency Il
gravity Of the matter under discus>iC
The urgency grows out of the fact IL
much further protraction Of this disc
sion will make any modus that may
agreed upon Intellectual to protect ,
interests of the United States and<v
give to the Canadian sealers pracli
immunity by reason of the impo
bility of communicating to 'b"m
agreed restrictions.
"That in view of this serious a
confident contention Of this COVE
ment his lordship should assume t
another years suspension of such St
ing is not necessary to prevent an
due dirninution Of the seal herds
should insist that pending an arbit
tion it shall 90 on, precisely rs if
arbitration had been agreed upon
as surprising as it is disappointi
If Her Majesty's government so Ii
respects the claims and contention
this government as to be unwillin
forbear for "A single season to di
gard them, the President cannot un
stand why Lord Salisbury she
have proposed and agreed to Civ
those claims the dignity and stant
which reference to high cour
arbitration implies. From the mon
Y al arbitration was agreed uI
neither party was at liberty to di