Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-29
HELPS UNCLE SAM.
Russia's Seizure Of Vessels in
Behring Sea.
REVIEW OF THE CELEBRATED CASE.

Basis of the Claims of the United state Re
caIIed-The Edict of Gar Alexander /
and the Subsequent Treaties Which Rus
sia Declined to Observation-Disclosures Pre-
liminarie. Wen Advanced. but an Extern
sion OF Time ProbabIe-Sew Testimony
Obtained a. q Seal Life.
WAsHINGToS, sept. 29-Officials connect
ed with the preparation Of the case for the
United States before the Behring sea arbi-
trators are not a little gratified by the
action of the Russian authorities in seiz-
ing English or Canadian sealers in Beh-
ring ga, recognizing that il viii he Of ma
terial assistance in sustaining the claims Of
the United States-which are derived from
Russia through the sale of Alaska-before
the board Of arbitrators. However greatly
IL may ernbarrass or annoy the Canadians
there il no apprehension here that serious
complications.be ween England and Russia
will ensge. II will be of interest in this
connection at this time to briefly recall the
basis Of the claims made by the United
States, and which are in question before
the board of arbitration and which also,
according to a dispatch from Ottawa, the
Canadian authorities believe Russia is
lending her aid to establish before that
body.
Edict Of Alexander 4.
On Sept. 4, 1921, his Imperial Majesty
Alexander / sent to the directing agent Of
Russia edict setting forth that -Observ-
Ing from reports submitted to that the
trade OF our subjects on the Aleutian is
lands and on the northwest coast of Ameri-
ca appertaining unto Russia, is subject,
because of secret and Illicit traffic, to
oppression and impediments and finding
that the principal cause Of these difficulties
J. the want of the rules establishing the
boundaries for navigation along these
coasts and the order Of naval communica-
ton, as well in these places a. on the whole
of the eastern coast Of Siberia and the
Kurile islands, we have deemed it necessary
10 determine these communications by
specific regulations, which are hereto
attached
Russia's IOO-Mne Regulation.
The rules proposed read a. follows:
section /. The pursuits Of commerce,
whaling, and fishing, and Of all other in
3ustry, on all islands, ports and CULTS, in
Guiding the whole Of the northwest coast Of
America, beginning from Behring strait
20 the fifty-frst degree of northern latitude;
also from the Aleutian islands to the east
srn coast of Siberia, well As along the
kuriie islands from Behring strait to the
sOuth cape Of the Island Of Urup, viz: to
s. degrees 80 minutes, northern latitude,
are exclusively granted To Russian sub
jects.
~ssec. 2 1t is therefore prohibited to all
foreign vessels not only 10 land on the coasts
and islands belonging to Russia, stated
above, but also to approach them within
less than "A hundred Italian miles. The
transCressOr's vessc! il subject to confsca-
ton along with the whole cargo
Fixed Thing. Up for Ten Years.
Exceptions were made in favor of vessels
in distress and vessels Of friendly nations
bound only on voyages of discovery. The
edict ordered published by the senate
on Sept. Z, 1921. Then ensued a long di-
plomatic correspondence between Russia
and the United States, resulting in 1924 in
the ratification of "A treaty by the terms of
which the two government agreed, the
United State to form no establishment on
the northwest coast Of America north of
"a degrees 4C minutes, and Russia to form
none south O. that point. For period of
ten years vessels of the two nations were
given the right to visit the establishments
of each others country to trade and fish.
Similsr arrar gemeI.ts were made between
Russia and England.
Made a Sort Of Quit Claim Deed.
At the end of the ten years Count Nessel-
rode Russian minister of foreign affairs,
refused to extend the period of reciprocal
right to fish and trade, and thus matters
stood until 1861 when Alaska was conveyed
under treaty by Russia to the United
States BY the terms of that instrument
the emperor of Russia agreed to cede to
the United States "all the territory and do
minion now possessed by his said ma esty
on the con tinent of America and in the /
jacent islands The cession hereby made
conveys all the rights franchises and priv
ileges now belonging to Russia in the said
territory or dominion and appurtenances