The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-28
Willing to Prohibit Sealing Ii
Damages are Assessed Later.
ALSO PRESENTS HIS PET SCHEME
OF VESSELS UNDER BONDS.

During the Modus Vivendi-If England
Wins Uncle Sam Pays-Or, Sealers May
Give Bonds to Pay Damages.
LONDON, March 27.-Lord Salisbury,
under date Of March 26, replied as fol-
lows to Sir Julian Pauncefote in response
to Mr.. Wharton's note of March 22d:
''Notice has been given to owners of
ships sailing for Behring Sea that both
agreements at present under discussion
between Great Britain and the United
States, that as to arbitration and that as
to an intermediate arrangement, may eff
feet the liberty of sealing in Behring Sea.
They have notice of their liability to pos
sible interruption and will sail subject to
that notice. The question of time is not
therefore urgent Inform the President
that we concur in thinking that when
the treaty has been ratified, there will
arise new state of things. Until it is
ratified, our conduct is governed by the
language of your note of the 18th of June,
1890. When it is ratified, both
parties must admit that contin-
ed which both desire to protect. We
think the prohibition of sealing, if it
stands alone, will be unjust to British
sealers if the decision of the arbitrators
be adverse to the United States. We are
willing, when the treaty is ratified, to
agree to an ARA ngement similar to that
of last year,
If the United States Will Consent
that the arbitrators should, in the event
of a decision adverse to the United
States, assess the damages which the
prohibition of sealing shall have inflicted
on British sealers during the pendency
of the arbitration, and in the event of de-
cision adverse to Great Britain should
assess damages which the limited slangh-
ter shall, during the pendency of arbitra-
ton have inflicted on the United States
or it's lessees. AS an alternative course,
we are willing after the ratification of
the treaty to prohibit sealing in the dis
puted waters if vessels shall be excepted
from the prohibition which produce a
certificate that they have given security
for such damages as the arbltrators may
assess in case the decision is adverse to
Great Britain, the arbitrators to receive
this case, the restriction of slaughter on
the islands will not, in point of equity,
be necessary. Her Majesty's govern
ment is unable to see any other than one of
these two methods restricting seal hunt
ing in the disputed waters during arbi-
tration which is equitable to both par
ties"
A later note from Lord Salisbury to
Sir Julian Pauncefote, dated March Goth,
saws: ';With further reference to the
telegram of the 23d, 1 am not prepared
to admit, as gather from the President,
that we have objected to the arbitrators
having Jurisdiction as to the
Damages inflicted in the Past
by the party against whom the award is
given. I only objected to Her Majesty S
government being liable for acts they
have not committed. I am ready to con-
sent to reference on this point on the
following terms: That in case the arbi-
traitors shall decide in favor of the Brit
ish government, that government may
ask them further toN decide whether the
United States government have, since
1885, taken any action in Behring Sea di-
rectly inficting wrongful loss on British
subjects and, if so, to assess the damages
incurred thereby; that, in case the arbi-
traitors shall decide in favor of the Unit
ed States, that government may ask
them to decide further whether the
British government have, since 1885, tax
en- any action in Behring Sea directly in
flicting wrongful loss on the United
States or their lessees, and if so to assess
damages incurred thereby"