New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-01
BEHRING SEA ARBITRATION
A TREATY SIGNED IN WASHINGTON.
THE CONTROVERSY TO BE REFERRED TO An IN
TERyAnoNAL COMMIssION-HoW THIS
BODY WILL BE CONSTITUTED.
rBY TELEGRAPH THE TkIBCNE.l

rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TkIEUSEl
Washington. Feb 29-The Behrng Sea con-
troversv is in q fair way at last of being settled
by reference to board of arbitration. treaty
relocating the whole subject to an international
commission Of seven was signed at the State De-
partment to-day by Secretary Blaine and Sir
Julian Pauncefote simultaneously almost the
Supreme Court rendered decision In favor OF the
United States in the now celebrated Sayward
case. and vague rumors are afoat that the board
of experts in likely TO complete its labors by the
end Of the week. Only failure on the part oil
the Senate to ratify the treaty, or refusal OF
the Governments authorized In the treaty 10
nominate arbitrators to appoint them can now
defeat reference of this long-pending dithculty
to arbitration.
The announcement Of the signing Of the treaty
to-day confirms what said in these dispatches
regarding the value OF so-called official state
ments" in connection with the Behring Sea con-
troversy. As long ago as November last the
Attorney General announced an agreement sad 10
have been reached between the United StateS
and Great Britain. while arguing In the supreme
Court the same case which that tribunal decideu
to-day. When in December last it was hintcf
that Lord Salisbury was possibly preventing IN
tentionally an agreement. that hint was received
with il-conceaed indignation in England and oy
the British press of this country. The announce
ment made in the Queens speech from the throne
on February o. to the effect that an agreement
had been reached. cited as sufficient prool
Of Lord Salisbury's good intentions. and when'
two or three days later Mr. Lowther. the Par
liamentarv Secretary Of Foreign Affairs. con-
6rmed in Parliament what had been announced IL
tho spcech from the throne only with trife
more ponderosity Of partcularity" there was
thouoht TO have been furnished proof positive that
Lord Salisbury did not desire any longer to delay
matters or prevent arbitration. three weeks
exactly have elapsed since then, and. curlohsiy
enough the treaty is signed on the same day that
the contentious of counsel for Great Britain ana
Canada are dismissed by the Supreme Court. IL
NAV be a coincidence, but nevertheless the pre-
sumption in the minds of many people Will oe
strong that Lord Salisbury delayed authorizing
Sir Julian TO sign the treaty until after 1t was
known. either officially or in other ways, what
the decision OF the court would be. lf that de-
cison had not been what il proved to be-n IL
had sustained the brought in behalf OF the
owner of the Sayward-it is not at all unreal
sonable to suspect that Lord Salisbury wouid
have found it convenient TO refuse to sign the
treaty. or to raise new difficulties. as he had done
when a settlement of the question seemed so near
ney-,ienera Miller was induced, in perfect good
faith. last November, to make the announcement
to the Supreme Court.
The terms OF the treaty may he briefly re-
capitulated by stating that they provide for the
creation OF an International commission to be COM
posed of seven members. Two are to represent
the United States and two Great Britain-one OF
the latter being presumably Canadian. The re
maining three members are to be nominated by
Sweden. Italy and France. The questions at issue
10 he submitted TO the commission are substantially
those enumerated in Secretary Blaine's note tn
Sir Julian Paunccfote of December 49,, 1890
The sittngs of the commission are TO be held In
Paris There is no provision made it is under
stood for "A renewal of the modus vivehdi OF last
wear. That question is, 1t Is believed,
the province OF the four experts. AZ
last accounts, they were as TAR from
reaching an az reement ever, even on this point
As for the wider and more important question OF
a close season. to he observed hereafter, they were
as hopelcssy at loqgerleads W hen they entered
upon the task OF exchanging views. But now
that the treaty has been signed, and the Supreme
Court has rendered its decision, Lord Salisbury
may pos IDLY permit Sir George Baden. Powell and
his colleague to yield, or at least unbend and cont
promise.