Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-04-08
THE TREATY RATIFIED.
The Senate Assents to the
Berfng Sea Arbitration.
Method by Which the Difficulty
is to be Settled.

AAe treaty or convention providing Tor
arbitration in the settlement of the differ
ences between Great Britain and the United
States over the jurisdiction of the Boring
Sea has been ratified by the Senate, at
Washington, by unanimous vote.
The secret session which resulted in the
ratification lasted two hours-from two to
four oclock-and was of the quiet conserv-
ative character.
Its detail is of little interest, in view of
the ratification Shortly after the doors
were closed d call of the Senate was ordered,
and an unusually large number of Senator's
answered to their names, the number being
increased to seventy-two when the vote on
the treaty was taken.
There was some general discussion con-
corning the perfection of the treaty and Mr..
Sherman announced that the PROPOSITIONS
made by some Senators at previous sessions
that the arbitration proceedings should be
conducted in English had net with a favor
able response from Lord Salisbury.
The treaty does not stipulate Che language
In which the proceedings shall be conducted.
Mr.. Sherman said that the suggestion that
they be conducted in English had been COM
municated to Sir Julian Paunceforte, the
British Minister, who replied that he had no
objection, but preferred to communicate
with his own Government before agreeing
to it.
This he did and Lord Salisbury approved
After Mr.. Sherman made this statement the
treaty was amended SO that English should
be the language used in the conduct Of the
proceedings.
There was some discussion over article XII
of the treaty, which provides that 1.-The de-
cision of the tribunal shall, if possible. be
made within three months from the close of
the argument on both Sides"
Several Senators thought the time allowed
for decision should be longer and as there
was no objection to this the time was ex-
tended to four months
After discussion over these points and
some others of minor Importance, the treaty
was ratified without further change and
without the passage OF any resolution) by an
aye and nay vote, and resolutions informing
the President of it's ratification and remov-
ing the injunction of secrecy from the vote
were adopted.
A well-informed Washington correspond
emit writes; The unconditional ratification
of the treaty leaves President Harrison free
now TO complete arrangements with Lord
Salisbury for a new modus vivendi on terms
which will doubtless be satisfactory to both
Governments 1t is the Presidents inten
ton to accept substantially the first PROPOSE
ton of Lord Salisbury's note of March 26th,
stated as follows:
We are, however, willing, when the treaty
has been ratified, to agree to an arrangement
similar to that of last year, if the United
States will consent that the arbitra tors
the United States assess the damages which
the prohibition of sealing shall have inflicted
on British sealers during the tendency of the
arbitration, and, in the event of decision
adverse to Great Britain, should assess the
damages which the limitation of slaughter
shall, during the tendency of arbitration
have inflicted on the United States or its
lessees,
The arbitration of damages provided for
here covers, will be noticed, only the period
"a AloSS SPr2A f-Na~ e h.
time a final decision is announced by the
Board of Arbitrators. 1t contains no re-
striction of liability such as Lord Salisbury
maintains as to damage done the United
States since 1855, and can be accepted with
out renewal of the discussion which threw
the original article as to the general arbitra-
tion Of damages out of the treaty just rati-
fed.
There was a full Cabinet meeting at the
White House after the ratification of the
treaty. The Cabinet practically agreed to
accept Lord Salisbury'S proposition for q re-
newal of last years modus vivendi. with
certain limitations as to the character Of
damages to be left to the determination of
the arbitrators.
The treaty provides that the whole cues
ton shall be submitted to arbitrators to be
appointed by France, Italy and Sweden, the
main question involved being whether seals
are to be considered as ferae naturae or
whether the peculiar circumstances attend
ing seal life in Boring Sea will permit of
special application in the case. The
whole question will be decided into five
different points viz, the question of what
exclusive jurisdiction Russia exercised prior
to the cession of Alaska; how far such
rights were recognized by Great Britain;
what rights, if any. Russia claimed
IN the Boring Sea after the treaty of
1925 between that country and Great
Britain; whether all the rights of Russia
as to jurisdiction and as to the seal fisheries
in Bering Sea east of the water boundary
did not pass unimpaired to the United States
under the treaty of 1867; and, lastly, has the
United States any right, and if So what
right of protection over the fur seals when
found in Boring Sea outside the ordinary
three mile limit.