Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-04
MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS RESULTS.
! what 10 Said About the Action OF Great
Britain as to the Modus vfvendL


The action Of the British government in re-
gard to refusing 10 renew the modus vivendi
in the matter Of the Boring sea seal fisheries,
but proposing to establish a closed rome OF
thirty miles width surrounding the rribylov
Islands is likely, it is said, to lead to serious
results
The establishment Of srch a zone about the
Pribylov islands, in the opinion of American
agents and of the State Department officials,
wSald lead to no good results. Unless poachcrs
can be kept out OF De.ins sea entirely il
viii be practically impossible 10 stop Illegal
sealing within the prescribed zone. Every
seizure would be resisted on the ground that the
vessels were outside of the prohibited territory.
and endlts litigation ensue. Besides this Diff
Guilty there Is the even more substantial and
manifest one OF the existence of almost nm
penetrable foSs about the islands Tor large
part OF the year. rendering it an absolute
physical irlpos>iIiiity to detect the presence
OF poachers during their continuance, except
By accident
Unless the Illegal sealing can be entirely
stopped within the bounds of Boring sea IL Is
the opinion of the United States authorities
interested In the matter that the tota! ekter-
mination OF the fur seal must be the inevitable
result.
| The reason fo- Lord sal;sbury's action
4 80 NV huONn, but IL u blrl0iSCI tudt u Was
! due to the action of the United States
Supreme Court last Monday, when the
case OF the schooner Sayward seized seventy
nine miles from land for Illegal sealing by
| the United States cutter. WAS decided adverse
| to the claim OF tie British government. That
| government went into court, and although the
/ merits OF the questions involved were
not adjudicated, the plaintiff was
| thrown out Had the United States
been SO unfortunate after having initiated
I il 49,
considered its case badly damaged. Another
| opinion is that in view Of the .hcn practically
settled disagreement OF the Ecrng agents
OF the two countries as to the means 20 be en-
ployed to preserve the seal fisheries. Lord
| Salisbury NAV have thought that 10 consent "a
| q renewal of the modus vivendi would he toe
much OF a concession TO the claims of the
United States, and therefore he refused to
| agree to Its continuance
| now TEE UNITED STATES MAY PROTECT ITSELF
Whatever may have been his reasons his
action has precipitated situation that II
deemed quite serious. What action The presi
dent will take Of course cannot be
: stated. But there are several method,
\ open by which the United States may
protect itself. The claim OF juris-
diction over Boring sea has, It is said. nevei
been relinquished and the President may dc
tcrmine to enforce it as against the IL
legal sealers, whether of this country
| or OF Canada. The attempt 20 carry
out this policy would doubtless result
In greater or less resistance by Great Britain al
she, on the other side. has never acknowledge
the riShtfulncss OF the clGim OF the United
States to the control OF the Boring sea
However, the course OF the United state,
will not be decided upon until after full con
sideration of the beet, and il may be thai
other and more peaceful means will be found ol
settling the question.
The treaty TO submit the disputed points Il
arbitration it is expected will be sent to tn,
Senate Monday.