New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-06
SALISBURY'S PROPOSITION.
DANGERS OF THE THIRTY-MILE LIMIT IN
BEHRING SEA.
MR.. BLAINE's CONSISTENT OPPOSITION TO SUCH
FRUITLEss RESTRICTIONS on SEALING.

Behring Sea dispute before an international board
Of arbitration, is by people competent to speak
with authority upon the subject looked upon 40
a serious one, serious enough TO cut short the
Presidents outing and hasten his return TO Wash.
ngton. AS to the motives which promptcd Lord
Salisbury to refuse his assent to a proposition 80
obviously fair and so manitestly necessary IL the
seal rookercs of the Pribyloif Islands are to be
preserved no explanation Is vouchsafed in official
quarters In the absence of the President, and with
Mr. Blaine confned to his house by an
attack of influenza, the State Department main.
tans dignfed silence. OF conjectures there are
many to the cause of Lord Salisbury's churl-
ish attitude. Among the many offered. no single
is probably entirely correct but sufficient
truth is contained in each to enable one TO dis
ccrn with reasonable accuracy the workings OF
Lord Saisburys mind. IL is all summed up in
the word Canada The attitude of Canada
in this matter is that an imperinent and ir
responsible youngster hiding behind the broad
back of an indulgent parent IL is the reprisal
which Canada takes for falling to break into the
markets Of the United States, the echo of abortive
attacks TO inveige the United States into one
sided reciprocity agreements.
AS TO the course which the Administration will
puTsue under the circumstances it is difficult to
hazard anything more than guess Quite likely
there may be a special meeting Of the Cabinet
early next week to decide the whole matter. AZ
such meeting it may be determined to execute
the law irrespective of consequences. The law in
question is to be found in Sections ,956-1 ,07l
Of the Revised Statutes. These sections enjOin
upon the President the duty of seizng unlawful
sealers and their vessels within the limits Of
Behring Sea. The Cabinet may think it best on
the other hand, to refer the whole subject TO Con-
grcss, a proceeding which would be tantamount to
asking for instructions.
The most natural course. however would he
to send the treaty signed last Monday promptly
to the Senate, advising that body OF what has
occurred and suggesting amendment of the
treaty providing for a renewal of the modus vi
vendi, pending settlement Of the dispute before
the board Of arbitration. Thus amended the
treaty would be returned 10 Lord Salisbury. 1t
might then be incumbent upon him to declare
his objections to proposition which is nothing
more and nothing less than the embodiment Of
common sense. Upon him would then rest the
responsibility for the failure of settling the diff
Guilty by arbitration and for having done nothing
to prevent the extermination of the fur-seal.
Some garbled extracts from British Blue Book
have been furnished by Professor Elliott OF tho
Smithsonian Institution 10 a few Democratic news
papers, which, perhaps, require explanation.
Ia his desire 70 attack, criticise and embarrass
the State Department. Mr. Elliott has been At
great pains of late 10 enlighten the public mind
through the medium Of articles contributed by
him TO a sympathetic press, in which articles he
sets forth at great length how the State Depart
ment is all wrong, and he Professor Elliott) 10
all right this question of the Behring Sea
seal fisheries Having spent number Of years on
, the Prbyloff Islands Professor Ellotts views are
naturally enough entitled TO some weight. Ger.
,I, tlo fiaa tall
life and its habits. But when he mixes diplomacy
with his scientific researches he becomes dan.
gerous and tiresome only man with one idea
can become. And Professor Elliott seems really
possessed, on this subject of diplomatic settle
ment Of the Rehrng Sea difficulty, Of but one
idea. Ii is contained in these words: "A pub
lie discussion by experts representing the Govern
ment having an interest in the question:
The State Department not having fol-
lowed the professors advice hc proceeds to
read it n lecture. II is TO be found in both The
Times" and The Herald of to-day.
Here is what he siys in 80 The Times:
There IS a curious hing about rhi, alleged offer OF
Salisbury stop IN" pclagtc ~ssilers from coming
nearer than Thirty miie, Of the Probylof lands next
season. II sound, exactly like the offer made tv
Mr. Jane, &. Blaine himself just about this time last
year. Here i what Mr. Blasne offered 10 sir Julien
Washington. May 4. 1Sol. sir: During the month
OF March Ei-t, few days after the adjournment OF
I
pr posed ypu that a modu, vvendi be agreed upon
touching the cal h~homes pending The result Of
Goyerument The Tp,dcrt's first proposal which
.uhmited 70 y0u was tat NJ Canadian scaler should
be allowed 10 com" within certain numter Of miles
The certain numlo- of miles which Mr.. Blaine
stipulated FOR the limit of tWeaty five miles from
the scal Islands. Sir Julian. In his dispatch 10
Lord salisbury dated May l. 1901 defines it
Mr.. Blaine made his first proposal the 10th
of March. lie then stated that. there cow seemed
p, no f,rp.p of rrgpu - hO fer Of
arbitration. 1t de -ira IL 10 arrange FOR modus
vlyande. poding lis result, and he threw ont sng
sealing vessels should be prohibited from approaching
the Hand. .'-(BriuSh Bluebook. L. ;. No. >. 1891,
it will appear th9t Lord , salisbury Is simply
the les, silly or useless on that account.
1t will be seen that Sir Juan's assertion In
regard TO what Mr. Blaine is said 10 have Offered
rests rot upon any written evidence. but simply
upon his understanding of a conversation between
him and Mr.. Blaine. II Mr.. Blaine ever made
such an Offer il was undoubtedly coupled with
certain conditions, il subject to reserva-
tions which Sir Julian fails 10 enumerate
But that it is quite unlikely that Mr. Blaine
ever made such proposition as that 0i twenty
tNc-mile zone i concu>ively shown by an eN-
tract from his note 10 SIR Julian under date of
May 30, 1890, nearly year before he Is ac-
cused by Sir Julian and his friend. Professor
Elliott, of having made this silly and use
less offer. Mr. Blaine says in that note:
Your proposition Is that pelagc sealing should 10
prohibited I'M the BehTing sea during the Iiohths ot
MAY June October, November ahd December ara
that there should De no prohibition during the mxl,hs
of July August aud september. Your proposition IN
yolved the condition tEat British vessels should DO
allowed To Mil seals WITHIN Ten miles VI te v9"s' "a
pI7,by Ion Islands Lord oaIsburys proposition "
Is,. was that during the same nonfhs, ior which
"a, ION mil. pr Vtlcgc demanded British YES
sci, hunting seal, should come nearer 10 the Prbylon
Island ,han the 4Ih parallel VI north attuoe, about
$50 miles. -, -. r.. ,,u,
f. tbe one when the around The breeding Islands
arc mosi crowdrd with seals. aud especially crowded
with female seals gong forth to secure food ior the
hnudrSis Of thousand, of their yOung Of which they
i',ve recently been delivered. The destruction Of Ihe
Inc In naNug test l.a