The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-10

President Harrison Furnishes Congress with
Moro Correspondence.


WAsHrNGroS, d. c.. March 9..-Supplement-
inc the arbitration treaty, President Harrison
sent TO Congress tho correspondence IN the
Behring sea matter which has accumulated
since date of tho last publication, January .,
1891 and some notes or previous dates "niCh
have hitherto not been made public. Ihe
old ldcorrespondence broke OH with q proposition
bv the Inited States State Department TO
submit SIX propositions 10 arbitration. All
these except one wer0 accepted by Great
Britain. There WAS a temporary hitch on the
question as 10 whether tie Alaska COmmerclal
Company leasing the Pry6Iof Islands to
which the seals resort, should 0eaA0Wed our
ing the coming season 10 take limited
number of seals. IA. 900 10 supply f0od TO the
natives. and this point being yielded by Great
Britain. modus yiyendi was agreed upon
from l8g1. by which both governments were
to co-operate 10 prevent the indlscrminate
slaughter Of seals in the open sea. ms
agreement expired on the I'D OF May last'
On the 7th of September, 1891, the State De-
nsrtment called the attention of the British
Minister. Sir Julian Paunceiort 10 the i@ct
that the modus viyendi would expire next
Nav. and said: The President feels that II any
affective action is TO be taken IN the matter
before the next fishing season opens al the
terms OF agreement of arbitration should be
DISPOSED of Immediately. Aweek later. OctC-
her 18th. Sir Julian replies that the bfltssh
Government insists upon its Interpretation or
the liability clause and on the 22d the Presl-
dent directs Mr. Wharton TO waive tho point
with q view 10 inducing prompt settlement
of the question. reseryIng the subject OF Ia
bilitv for further negotiations. Ibis was af-
cepted by telegraph October I'D, ana then u
month afterward November 23d, Lord Sails
bury raised another Objection. Slr Julian
Tauncefort informs Mr.. blaine that two res
cessity and nature of any regulations are leit
10 arbitration, and that such regulations Will
not become obligatory upon the United
States and Great Britain until they have re-
ceiyed the assent OF the maritime powers.
To this Mr.. Blaine somewhat tartly replies
that the Minister had himself furnished the
exact points that had been agreed upon tor
arbitration and that the objection rendered
i'm Lord Snlisbury's letter of October I'd
could not DO entertained. February y. 1872.
Mr.. Blaine wrote t. Sir Julian Pannce.oTt as
follows. -
am in receipt of your favor of the 18th.
You therein inform me that Lord Salisbury
cannot give OF press any opinion on the SUD
iect Of the mOdus ylyendl until he knows
what we desire to propose. l an. glad that
Lord Salisbury cOntempletes mOdus yiyendl,
for il is obvious that ii IS impossible 20 con-
clude the arbitration within the time orlgi-
nallv set Indeed we shall hardly be able TO
enter upon IT, The delays have been much
oraater on the part Of Great Britain than on
tbe n,rt of the nted States. In reply to
vour inquiry tho President suggests that tho
modus yiyendi should 10 much Just the
same as last year in terms. uttLat II should be
better executed. IL WAS very Ineffective last
veor for there were a larger number OF seals IN
Rehrjng Sea taken than ever before. ne
trans had already been set before the moons
viyendi was agreed upon. and II was impl ssl-
hle to give them notice IN time 70 prevent
Them from taking seals. This would require q
notice 10 the large number " sealers which
are ureparing 10 get from British Colum-
b,o The number il said T. DO greater than
over before and without somo regulation
limiting the killing Of seal the destruction
will be immense.
| shall have 10 ask you TO transmit the con
fonts of this note T. Lord Salisbury by tele-
graph. ,,.-. ..
nicates Lord Sa!sbury's reply as follows: /
have the honor 10 inform YOU that nave re-
ceiyed a reply from Lord SALISBURY 20 the
following elect In the first place. his lord
shin states that no cannot IN any degree
admit that the delays have been greater on
the part of Great Britain than on the part OF
the United States. AS regards the necessity
FOR another modus ylyendi Her Majesty >
Government consented TO that measure last
wear solely on the ground that II was sup
nosed that there would be danger 10 the pre-
seryation Of the seals in Behnng sea
unless some interval in tho statute of seals
wore prescribed both on sea and on land.
On the contrary. the British commissioners
on the Behrlng Sea Joint commission have
informed Her Maiesty's Government that SO
far ~ pelsglo sealing ID concerned there -