The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-22
TIE CAPE HORN PIGEON.

10 ha lDuiDpy m had 1OnA
" '"'' -l---'.--------
THE carr HORN PIGEON.
-
The Relation OF Okhotsk Sea whaling to
Behrinc sen Sealing.
WASHINGTON Nov l2-The particulars re-
Gently made public OF the seizure Of a New
Bedford whnler in Okhotsk Sea, and her sub
seou.nt release. have a certain bearing on tho
controverted question OF Russian jurisdiction
in northern waters
The Sea OF Okhotsk affords unouestionably
n far greater n approach to the reou;rements OF
a CLOSED sen" than is furnished by Bohrinr
SEA- Tho former TO bepin with hos no north.
ern outlet. while the latter. by means Of
Behrine Strait. il Oman to the Arctic Ocean.
md ia practically n highway from the Pacific
IN Polar w,ters Tha 60, ~ Otbotst In. Rus.
alan territory for its Western. northern. and
s.eterp houn,,orv and tho only foreign nos.
sess;ons +bo. horJer on A. ara m, chain Of
Knri,a 1el,nIs stretcbing from Jesso "a
Knmch,ttn nd FORMING ira eouthenstarn linz
ri dom,rcat;on from tho m,in Pacific Ocenn.
Th. moro north.rlv If those. n ounrter of n
m ,tnrv MO also holonced r. Rnssia On
tbe other hand tho Robrinp Sea shores
oro MIA hv di.tin,t now.rs Eussi,
owri,y tho uo.torr md our Cavern.
,,,nt H.. oos.orn toa..hor ,,,,h tho A,.rti,r
Ia,,s ..".Ss, $500. 49,. .i. IL
iana Nna,Iv tha d,s,onna h.tx.an Alton tbo
,"na..u.na.t -, .r".;aon ,,ossass;ons .nd
"Ia,, IT. -. .asa ~.
Nor l.,.," ~, ~. .,A nj w ~. ~ d..
.,,a ~, " ."e 1en ~ . IAN un w.
o'~n e.uo. 10 "oou ioo niioo' anu 10. ca.
eeeuS ."o "'u .," 80 y. o ,., De 49,"
members OF the h"rlie group lying between
dent that if Russia possesses now. or ever nos.
sesseo. exclusive jurisdiction over any part OF
Bshrns sea beyond the usually admitted Mite ma
sne Ss -. .i, SUI. @ sMoh
she would lor sun stronger reasons nave such
,otad +ho. ~. An,nrio.n har,, CO. HorU
Pigeon was in tho early morning of Sept. 10.
seized in the open waters Of the Sea- OF Ok
vostock. She had two right whales with 1000
pounds of bono aboard. The vessel that took
contlsoated and used as Russian cruiser.
Tho CAPE Horn Pigeon was captured on the
charge OF whaling in prohibited waters. al
from, tho noint WHARF she was seized. and tho
Iii. ."1 pUt $1,000 - Ian.n ,nao
IN T rhe s e"s. n1n pA.s OF ene ses
that after tho pigeon had been taken as a
nriza 70 Vladivostock thu Russian naval ALL
thorlties restored nor. AT tho Same tim 70. IL
tho s1 snas the
sh.r. ~" 10 ra roS,hittnn nainsi "h au ," ~
mere was no pr@ mn AGAINST ~na.ane az AT
saS
sea. '' The au!horities are also AS said id1St to
have, forwarded to st. Petersburg a claim
was based on tho supposed number Of whales
besn witS durns perod he o se Se
eral weeks before the practical close OF the
season for whaling in that sea.
The case recalls a similar one which &C.
Cured several years ago When the resulting
diplomatic correspondence SCENE to Indicate
elusive jurisdiction in Okhotsk sea MIR.
Blaine. in n letter Of last year to Sir Julian
russian document of many years ago. filed in
the State Department. - plainly draws a dis
one hand. and the Sea OF OE6otsx. the Sea Of
Kamc batka. and the icy sea-. on tho other:
and so long as Russia drew that distinction it
countries as far as the waters Of Bshrnc Sea
Horn PIGEON indicates that tax Russia "q now. va
least does not pretend that tho Okhptsk Sen
she would not undertake. to maintain a claim
/. hshfins f:s since q. latter is Is much sss
to iearn That even the many seizures sI made by
tances exceeding twenty miles from land are
explained on the theory that the vessels cap
tured had really been pouching within few
miles OF Copper Island. and were chased a
long distance by the Russian cruiser before
they were overhauled
The question as to what constitutes q closed
sea is not very precisely determined. The
definition Of Vattel is that it " must DO entirely
surrounded by the territory OF tie nation
claiming Jurisdiction. and must have no other
communication with tho ocean than by IL chan
mel 81 which that nation may take posses
sion" such definition would rule out Behr-
ing Sea as not being entirely surrounded hy
Okhotsk Sea. since the Kurie Islands belong to
have power to occupy the approach hes to 1t. In
distance between Attou and Copper Islands
would not fall within the definition Of Vattel