The morning call., 1892-03-25
THE CORRESPONDENCE.
Diplomatic Notes That Passed Between
the United States and England.

Diplomatic Notes That Passed Between
the United States and England.
WASHINGTON, March "a - The corre-
spondence received by the Senate yester-
day from the President, relative TO Bering
Sea, has been made public. The first COM
munication is from Sir Julian Pauncefote
TO Mr.. Wharton, under date of March 19,
1892, stating that he had received reply
from Lord Salisbury to Wharton's note of
the Sth inst, TO the following effect: First,
Lord Salisbury again points out that the in
formation in the possession Of her Majesty's
Government does not lead them TO believe
that another years suspension of the seal
ing is necessary to prevent undue diminu-
tion of the seal herds. His lordship, how
ever, proceeds 10 observe that beyond this
question it is considered by your Govern
ment that they have a right to be protected
from any loss they may incur from free seal
ing this year in the event of their claim to
the BeTing Sea being upheld by arbitrators.
he states that her Majesty's Government
does not dispute that after the
ratification OF the convention there
will be some foundation for this con-
tentioD, but adds that the prohibition
ef all sealing as remedy has this defect:
That the British sealers excluded from the
Bering Sea would have an undoubted
ground OF complaint If the British claims
are upheld by the arbitrators. Moreover,
there is no security that the rbitration will
be concluded before the sealing season of
1898 opens. Serious damage would be
caused an industry by the suspension of
sealing for long period. In view of all the
above considerations 1t appears to her Ma
iestys Government that il would be more
equitable TO provide that sealing in the Ber-
ing Sea shall continue on the condition that
the owner of every sealing vessel shall give
security for satisfying any damages the
arbitrators may adjudge. l shall be glad to
learn that the above suggestions meet with
the concurrence Of your Government"
Wharton's Reply.
Under date of March % Mr.. Wharton re-
piled as follows: II am directed by the
President to say that your note of the 10Th
inst. has had his Immediate attention., In
view of what be deems the extreme urgency
and gravity of the matter. Urgency grows
out of the fact that further protraction
will make any modus Intellectual to protect
the interests OF the United States. and will
give the Canadian sealers a practical i'm
munity by reason of the impossIblity Of
communicating to them the agreed re-
strictons. 1t is known to this Government
that the sealers have fastened their de-
parture TO escape a notice OF possible
modus, and every day almost adds to the
feet that must now be overbauled at sea.
Already fOrty-seven Canadian vessels have
cleared for the sealing grounds, as against
thirty-one at the same date last year, and
they are engaged In following I'D and de-
stroving the seal herds. These vessels will,
If not stopped and turned back at the
passes, go into Bering Sea and pursue
the seals TO the very shores of
our islands and slaughter the mother seals
seeking their accustomed rookeries to be
against nature This Government expects
10 show, If arbitration proceeds, that the
emale seals constitute the larger portion OF
the catch OF the pelagic sealers. That in
view OF this serious and confident eonten-
tion OF this Government that his Lordship
should assume that another years suspen-
sion OF such sealing is not necessary Ito
prevent the undue dimIuuton of the seal
herd,' and should insist that pending ar
bitraii0n IL shall 60 on precisely as IL no
arbitration had been agreed upon, is as sur
prIsng as 1t is disappointing.
No Respect for Our Claims.
.'If her Majesty's Government has so little
respect for the claims and contentious of
this Government as TO be unwilling for
single season to disregard them, the Pres-
dent cannot understand why Lord Salisbury
should have proposed and agreed to give TO
those claims the dignity and standing which
aSefeFence to the high court OF arbtra-
:ion implies From the moment arbitration
was agreed upon neither party was at I'D
erty TO disregard the contentious OF tie
Other 1t must be assumed that the sincere
purpose OF the two Governments was TO
promote peace and good will, but IL the
pending aTnitrasion either deals with the
subject of il solely upon the basis Of Its own
contention ard In utter disregard OF tie
claims of the other, this frieudly end is not
only not. attained, but n sense OF
Injury aud injustice is added even il it
should be found possible to proceed with an
arbitration under such conditions. For it
nLet not 10 forgotten that If her Majesty's