New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-06
THE BEHRING SEA DISPUTE.
LORD SALISBURy'S DEMANDS PUT A STOP
TO ARBITRATION.
lie SEEKS FURTHER MODIFICATION OF THE
AGREEMENT REACHED LAT YEAR-THL
POLICY OF DELAY CARRIED OFT.


IBY TELEGRAPH To TIE TI.i6UsE.t
| Washington, Jan 5.-Whcn on November 10
of last year Attorney-GencmI Miller made the an
nounccmcnt before the Supreme Court of the
| United States that a bass for arbitrating the
l'ehrng Sea difficulty had been reached, he was
| saying what Of course was at the time strictly
| true An agreement seemed to have been an
! rived at to the different questions to be sub
mitted to the arbitrators The only matter open
for further consideration the manner in which
| the arbtrators to be selected and their num-
| her. This, il was confidently believed, would
| present no serious difficulty. On both sides Of the
Atlantic qualification was expressed at the pros
| pect Of speedy termination of the pending diff
| Guilty. In commenting upon the formal announce
| ment made by the Attorney General, The London
| Daily News" said
Both parties be congratulated and it fairly bc
hoped party considerations will trouble the
Of the agreement through the Senate or Interfere with
| peaceful and honorable settlement
The correspondent of The Tribune. summing up
| public opinion IN England as expressed II the
newspapers. cablcd on November l. as follows:
The English Of all parties hear with pleasure that the
of concerning the Behrng sea troubles have
heen agreed upon between England and the United Stlts
There is no Mr. Godkn ,;ladStonians. and they
the settlement In the interest Of their own country
even though Lord Salisbury gets the credit Of IT, They
themselves give him the credit 81 IL fairly Most journals
idle briefly and .onsby in the spirit which
led abltatl0n the spirit which alone makes arbta-
ton possible
But the greatest them ali thinks the agreement for
arbitration suitable occasion for rcopning the whole
controversy, and Ieopenng IL in acrimonious temper
attacks Mr Blaine. in the Godkin vein.
the shman however ltte be likes Mr.. Blaine or
his diplomacy. Il les unciv Il rpecch than the mohe''
American Ills object to b" To get possession oi ue
ear Of the arttator He canno: b" content TO
| 1 -. f.. MOI
What Attorney-Gcncral Miller announced in
| the course of his argument in the Sayward case
in November last, however, no longer holds good.
| IL will be remembered that the agreement ne
spoke Of was not formal one. In other words, IL
was not in the nature Of regularly signed treaty
IL was simply series OF propositions agreed
upon by Secretary Blaine and Sir Julian faunce-
foic. reduced 10 writing, which had received the
sanction on the one hand of President Harrison.
and on the other Of Lord Salisbury. All this
has now been upset by demands on the part OF
Lord Salisbury for q further modification OF the
agreement reached in November.
Precisely what the nature of these demands IS
il is impossible to ascertain to night That they
are touching minor points. however. not heretofore
raised by him seems pretty certain. 10 that cA-
tent they appear frivolous and lnslnccfe. rathcr
than based upon sound premises. Indeed, they
SlWgPSi III an UINftSiNl IulHWI llH pfNF VI
delay which HIS characterized Lord Sasbury's
cpnduci throughout these negotiations and which,
if ~ Sas not intended aS such. most undoubtedly
resulted in serious loss. financial and otherwise,
Ia the United States. But for the latencss in
the season at which the modus viycndi agreed
upon. il would have been impossible for the
Canadian poachers to make the headway they did
last year. In this respect, Lord Salisbury was
playing directly into their hands, at the expense
Of course Of the United States. His present at
titudr seems To have no other object in view.
The sealing season opens in May next By that
time the outfits OF the poachcrs Will have been
com peted, and they will be ready to sail. If
Lord Salisbury with lis frivolous objections is
able delay until then the formal signing of Z.
treaty and its ratification by the Senate. he VIII
have gone far toward infiicting II telling blow
upon what was once prosperous American IN.
dustry and a source Of no inconsidcrabe revenue
to the Government.
There l., much complaint and complaint well
founded. because Of the limited power conferred
by Lord Salisbury upon Sir Julian Paunccfoe in
the negotiations of these matters. Lord Sails
bury insists upon having every detail submitted 10
him This in itself is source of much delay
IL furnishes. at any rate, pIctcNt for postpone
mcnt 1t has done So in the past II viii continue
10 do so in the future.
There Is good reason however. for believing that
the patience of this Government Is exhausted. II
would bc premature, perhaps, 10 say ANYTHING
definite al the present time but means VIII not bc
wanting. when required 10 compel more prompt
consideration Of the questions at issue on the part
Of Lord Salisbury.