The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-03-10
TIE SEAL MATTER
Correspondence Between Blaine
and Salisbury.
THE SENATE CONSIDERS 1T
The Arbitration Treaty Ready for Approval
Provisions of the same-No
Action Taken.
THE SENATE CONSIDERS IT

WASHINGTON, March S.-The President
to-day sent TO the Senate the correspond
ence in regard to the Behring sea question
covering the period from April 20, 1881, 10
the date of the recent correspondence.
The most important letters are two from
Sir Julian Pauncefote under dates of Feb
ruary 2S and March Z and the reply sent
yesterday in his note of February 80. Sir
Julian informs Blaine Salisbury does not
admit, as previously indicated by Blaine,
the delays have been greater on the part
of Great Britain than the United States.
He says the British commissioners have
reported there was no danger of serious
dlminution of the seals and therefore the
necessity for the mouus yiVendi is not ap-
! parent. Still he would not object to pro-
hlbltlon OF sealing limited TO zone not
more than thirty miles around PribyloH
islands provided the catch on the ISLANDS
! be limited 10 600.
In his note of March Z, Sir Julian pre-
sents arguments in support Of Lord Sails
/ bury's refusal to accede to another modus
! vlveudi. he says it was first agreed to
under stipulation that the measure could
not be repeated, and there is no apparent
danger to the seal aspects. He ADDS that
the zone proposed is more extensive than
that mentioned Dy Blaine, Marcn 10, 1891,
and the anticipation of conflicts considered
IN the note OF May 4, 1891, have been met
by the provisions of the Behring sea act
and the order in council.
in his response sent yesterday, Assist
ant Secretary Wharton states that the
President notices with the deepest regret
the indisposition of her majestys govern
ment to agree upon an effective modus for
the preservation of the seals in Behring
sea pending q settlement of the rights of
the two governments in those waters and
in the fur seal fisheries therein. lie
calls attention to the fact that
the treaty of arbitration awaits only
the action of the American Senate and the
judgment Of the arbitration tribunal can
no. be stated in time TO control the conduct
OF sealers during the present season. The
! urgent question, he says, is what uoes good
faith, to say nothing of international com
, ity, require of the parties to an arbitration
Was it very hard before, he asks, that one
= party to such controversy, whether a ma
ton or individual, could appropriate the
whole or any part of the income and profits
much less the body of the contested prop
, erty, pending litigation, without accounta-
billty! 1t Is no answer for trespasser, i,
: is commended, to say the true owner will
have an undin inished harvest the next
7 year. Last years harvest was his also
: and, further, this government has already
been advised Great Britain repudiates al
5 obligations to indemnifs US for any inVa
sion of jurisdiction or any injury done tc
? its sealing property by Canadian dealers
In conclusion, it is stated this govern
ment will honorabiy abide the judgment oil
, the arbitration tribunal which has been
: agreed upon, whether that judgment be
/ favorable or unfavorable, and will not seek
to avoid just responsibility for any of its
I acts which by that judgment are found tC
be unlawful. But certainly the United
t States cannot be expected 10 suspend the
defense, by such means as are within it.
l power, Of the property and jurisdictions
rights claimed by it pending arbitration
5 and to consen to receive them from a trl.
s bunal if awarded shorn of much value BY
3 the acts of irresponsible persons.
e The letter of February % above referred
Q to from Pauncefote to Blaine acknowledge
7 the receipt of Blaine's note of the oath re-
q specting the renewal of the modus vivend
and states its contents, has been tele
graphed to Marquis Salisbury. Salisbury
reply was stated to be that he Salisbury
] had received no information to show tn
n | necessity for renewing the modus vivendi
The letter of March renewed the pre-
posals contained in Paunceiotes lette
s of February 20 to prohibit as a pre-
: csutionary measure for the sea
u son all killing of seals with
o q zone extending not more than thlrt
: nautical miles around Pribyloff islands
u such prohibition being conditional on tn
y restriction of seals to be killed for an
}. purpose on the islands to a maximum c
r 10000.
: II is learned Secretary Blaine's illnes
n prevented any consultation with him as
Salisbury's not opposing a renewal of th
modus viyendi of last year and that th
reply thereto dated the Sth instant tran!
al mitted by MIR. Wharton was in fact by til
ID President.