The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-13
THE BEHRING SEA QUESTION.

In accordance with the habit of the state
department, the Behring sea question re-
mains in allegiance. 1t was announced
when the seizure of British vessel was
matter before the supreme court, some
weeks ago, that an agreement had been
reached between the United States and
Great Britain, whereby the differences De-
tween the two countries had been def
nitely settled. But now it appears that the
whole business is delayed by want of an
understanding as to arbitrator. Mean
time, however, the American people are
learning new points and considering old
ones so as to be able themselves to Judge OF
the real merits of the controversy.
Behrlng sea, as the geographers tell US,
Is bit Of water lying just below the
Arctic circle, and stretching south to
the great Aleutian reef, and east
Of the coast of Asia. 1t measures
about l, 100 miles in one direction and 1900
in another, and is therefore twice as large
as the Gulf of Mexico. The kernal of the
question is whether it belongs to US or to
the world. ALI the shore lines around 1t
belong to us and Russia, and when Russia
t.
10000, she sold Behring sea along with it.
But it was far from settled matter that
the sea belonged to Russia-aud SO she
really sold US law suit. The water is so
nearly enclosed by our shore line and the
Asiatic shore line of Russia, that the Uni
ted States claims 1t as her property; but
the British do not admit the claim, and
they insist that so large body of water,
connected with the Pacific ocean of which
1t is part, cannot belong to any individual
country, but is the property of the world,
like the Atlantis ocean and the Gulf of
Mexico, and that the ships and the nations
Of the world have the right to take seals
therein.
Behring sea is almost literally infested
with seals, and this fact imparts all it's
value to it. About eighteen months ago
we made vigorous practical assertion of
our proprietary claim over the sea by
Selling four or five British sealing vessels
found at work in its waters, and confiscat-
ing their cargoes of seal skins. The owners
made loud complaints of what they called
| the outrage" but JOHN Bull treated
the affair with singular indifference, not
to say placidity, and in little while it was
almost forgotten. But j. B. has an awk-
ward way of filing things away in old
pigeon holes till he is ready to attend to
them, and then, bringing them out as
though they were fresh making a great
hulaballoo over them. Matters ran along
until another seizure was made and the
case taken before United States
court in Alaska, the vessels contis-
Gated and the crew arrested Then the
British minister at Washington stepped
into the precincts of the United States SUI
preme court and entered an appeal The
case was argued at the opening of the
present session Of the supreme court and
although the attorney general announced
that the matter was in process of diplo-
matte treatment, the court permitted the
argument to proceed. 1t is now said the
decision is withheld, awaiting MIR.
BLAINE's tedious and procrastinating
| methods.
1t Is interesting to recall that we have
had two threatening disputes with the
British in that quarter-the "Fifty-four-
Forty-or-Fight" controversy over the Ore
gon boundary, during PoLK's administra-
ton, and the quarrel about the true chan
mel OF the straits of San Juan de Fuca, dur
ing BUCHANAN's. Both were settled peace
fully, and there is no reason to apprehend
that the present affair will not have the
same kind Of termination.