St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-27
SEAL AND SILVER TIPS
A Further Insight Into Lord
Salisbury's Stiffness in
Diplomacy.
Surprising Change Of Front
and the Probable Reasons
Therefor.
Anti-Silver Men Preparing to
Fight Against a Vote on
BANDS Bill.
The New Special Order Will
Be Stubbornly Resisted at
Every Turn.

w ASdINGION. SOs-OuO
of the discussion of the Behring sea
arbitration treaty by the senate in ex-
ecutiYe session during the past week
has been to clear up a good deal of mis-
apprehension in the minds of the ma
jorlty of the senators as to the points in
volved in the dispute between the
United States and Great Britain. For
instance, the suggestion is thrown out
by an English paper that the objections
made by Lord Salisbury to renewal of
the modus viYendi would be completely
overcome by an agreement by the
United States to pay any damages sus-
tanned by the sealing vessel owners In
the event that the arbitrator decide that
the claim of the United States to
jurisdiction is not well founded. The
same view has been expressed in the
senate In the course of the debate, but
the few senators who were Informed as
to what has already taken place have
called attention to the fact that this
question has already been fully dis
cussed by the department OF state and
Lord Salisbury.
AS far back as last June the presi-
dent, through Mr.. Wharton, suggested
that the question of the liability of each
government for damages inflicted upon
the citizens or property be left to the
decision of the arbitrator. Upon this
proposition there was much correspond
ence. the British government in effect
declining to commit itself to the doc
trine that it was responsible for the acts
of its subjects, which in the language
of Lor Salisbury ''involyes the PROPOSE
tion that her majesty's government is
liable to
Make Good Losses
resulting in the wrong action of persons
sailing outside of their Jurisdiction
under the British flag" The United
States government had been willing to
drop altogether the question OF dam
ages, but insisted that ii it were to be
considered at all the question submitted
should also include the determination OF
the loss inflicted upon the United States
through the illegal killing of seals by
British subjects.
AS the correspondence on this point
threatened to continue so long that the
arbitration treaty could not be COM
pleted this season, the president finally
consented to a modification of the pror-
osition which was included in the treaty,
to submit to the arbitrator ques-
tons of facts bearing upon claims
for damages, leaving to future
determination the question of ability.
At this point the damage question rest
ed at the date of the signature of the
treaty, and it has not since been
touched upon in the correspondence.
These facts have been set out by
members of the committee on foreign
relations and other senators in answer
to the arguments of senators that the
British government would doubtless
consent to a renewal of the moduS
yiyendi if it could assure the Canadians
against any loss from illegal seizure of
their vessels. 1t was argued on the
part of these senators that, as Great
Britain had made an agreement with
the government of Sweden and Norway
for the protection of the seals on the
coasts of those countries, and had also
consented to an agreement with France
looking to the regulation of the fisher
les in the North sea, she would be will
ing to enter into
A Fair Arrangement
with the United States of the same
nature. When the modus vivendi was
negotiated last year Lord Salisbury said
to the house of lords: Formerly seals
were common on the coasts Of South
America and those of the Falkland
islands; now they are hardly to be
found there. 1t seems to US. Oh the
whole, that the proposition is reason
able one, and we should be fully in
460 1nt nrIy of q
United States, but of the civilized
world, if, by adhering too closely to any
technical right, we should run the risk
of destruction of this valuable indus
try and of valuable animal"
There has been much speculation in
the senate as to the sudden change of
mind by Lord Salisbury in this respect.
The real reasons are believed to be,
first disposition to use his present po-
sition to full advantage in securing
concessions from the United States up
on other points in the controversy such,
for instance, as the claims for damages.
which Iemain unsettled; second, to IA
yorably impress Canada with an appar-
ent disposition to heed her demands;
and third, to avail himself of the pres
sent opportunity to retaliate upon this
government for an alleged infraction
of the spirit of the modus
vivendi last year IN permitting the
North American Commercial company
to kill more than the seventy-6ve hun
dred seals permitted by the terms of
that agreement. 1t is believed that
these reasons will so far influence Lord
Salisbury as to prevent the renewal OF
the modus vivendi in the same terms as
the last document, but not to determine
him to resort to force to protect the
sealers for whose actions he has de-
clined to assume responsibility.
Possibilities Very Unlikely.
A member of the cabinet said today
that he saw no reason for suppoSing
that the present complications with
Great Britain IN regard to the seal fish
cries will not be settled amicably. He
added that it would be the height of
folly for two countries having so much
in common to quarrel over mat
ter they nave agreed to set
tie by arbitration. He felt confident
that Great Britain will either consent to
a renewal of the mOdus Vivendi of last
year, or that, if she does not do this.
She will not interfere with or resist the
efforts of this government to preserve
the seals, pending the arbitration pro-
ceeQlngS.' LII 10 odiu az euO ota1O ucpdi L
ment that nothing has beer heard from
Lord Salisbury in response to Mr.
Wharton's note of the 22d inst. 1t is
very evident, however, that the officials
will be disappointed if reply is not re-
ceived in few days.
NEW YORK, March 26.-Admiral FL
]. Selwyn, of the British navy, was
seen at the Everett house today and
asked what he thought about the Behr-
ing sea controversy. His prompt answer