The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-02
rHs PoAcHERs AND THE PArRo1.
No HLketihooa that the British Coiumbia
9ealers VIII visit the Pribyiev Regiou.

| No HLkel1hooa that the British Columbis
seslers VIII visit the Pribyiev Region.
WASHINGTON. May 1.-The Victoria vessel
owners who arc credited with a purpose &c
bent the modus" by transferring their craft
to German. Mexican. or other foreign owner.
ship. will not find this course all plain sailing.
In the first place. they have claims for dam.
| ages pending on account OF last years prohibi.
ton OF sealing In Behring Sea. and IL Is clearly
gratuity that the British Government makes
| In proposing to indemnify them. As Mr.. Whnr.
ton said In his effective letter OF March 90. de-
| molishing sundry British assumptions. II IL
| hard to see how tho citizens or subjects
OF either OF the treaty powers can. by
any rule OF law or equity. support any
claim against their respective Governments
growing out OF such necessary tire de re strai nts
| as the Governments may lawfully impose to
promote the larger conditions OF tho public
good and international PEACE" It is. accord
ingly. not to be presumed that the British
Government will permit its bcneflciares to
defeat the object OF its own International
agreement. while paying them for whit is
supposed to be their obedient and respectful
submission to that agreement They cannot
play fast and loose In this way: and. since not
one OF their claims for indemnity has yet been
passed upon. wo are hardly to suppose that
they Will be foolish enough to risk tho dam
ages they arc otherwise certain to receive for
last years losses.
They might not only sacrifice claims already
matured should they put their vessels uner
other flags but claims thnt may mature dur.
Ing the present year and until the decision Ct
tho arbiters is reached. Damages hereaf.
ter. should the decision DO against us. will
have to he paid by our Government But the
agreement for that purpose II based upon tho
from eldeayprIng to enter iichrinr Son a. and Ind
10 suppose that our Government would con.
S %h1 had Snt.rnt put his yGsse under foreign MIS-
agreement. is absurd. Tho british Columbia
vessel owners RECEIVE already concessions far
ers their due. and 1t Is hardly conceivable that
they would sacrifice their bird in the hand in
,stil another difficulty is tho imrrobablity
TINT any foreign nation would incur the lostil
Btnn b n S,n s noW W. s Great
poachcrs IN thor proposed plan Transfers
and reGstrics arc, nnt u simple matter. ar
t eann n' necrs Mli me laws
are strict and customs officers vigilant. There
IS sydsnsS with that
ing carried on in leh ring Sea. So far as can
be ascertaincd from the correspondence held
foreign GOVERNMENTS othcr than Great Britain.
they are friendly to tho project to protect scni
Hle EVEN were MS not 80. tneF would hardly
connive Mt the scheme OF British Columbia
scnlers to- evndc the laws OF their land.
surprising the transfers to he effected what
would scaling vessels entering Bchring Sea
under new flng he nbc TO accomplish They
would bo run down. boarded. and seized Our
which forbits such scaling. The prohibition
does not rest on the mof's rrPad nlonr. but it
has subs for twenty years by virtue Of
our own laws, Those laws We're not directed
against british vessels specifically. but against
all vessels. The prohibition is still In opera
mr. mi fnv La lbu,- 4
Harrison rccited it in l, proclamation which
Congress requires him to issue annually
Even when ~ single revenue cutter like the
Cnrwtn or the Rush patrolled B.hrlng Sea-
coplscated; But this summer wo shall have
ut least hIlf dozen naval and Treasury ves-
sells IN Behring Sea. while the British Govern
mont Is bound ut least to aid In executing tho |
In0d'is r,renh. 4 Eictorn senlor which. after
the provisions made for indemnity. should set
= trick seek to evade thor operation. would |
have = hard time If captured while scaling 10
The probability is that the eastern half OF |
the sen VIII be left alone by the poachers. in |
spite Of tho talk about sailing under, other
likely to suffer. Tho bold raiding OF the Com |
mander Islands last year by u part OF the fleet |
that was prevented frnn carrying on its op- |
erations near the Pribyov Islands will be re- |
Russian side is likely to be Increased. Neither
the British vessels nor our own have a anything |
to do wit h that. and 1t does not appear that |
Russia checks pelaGic sealing unless carried |
on close to her shores and perhaps accom-
those shores. Havoc in the. seal herd thnt |
freIuents her Tookeries may therefore be ex-
pected during the coming season.