The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-08-18
is FINALLY DECIDED.
THE BEHRlNG SEA SEAL FISHERIES
TROUBLE.

July 21-Protected Zone of Sixty Miles
Established Around the Islands-Amer-
lean Arbitrators Satisfied.
PARIS, Aug. 1G.-the decision of the
Behring sea tribunal of arbitration was
handed down at 11:07 o'clock Tuesday
morning.
The five points of article 6 are de-
cided against the United States.
A close season is established to begin
May and to continue until July 81.
This close season shall be observed both
in the North Pacific ocean and in Behr-
ing sea. A protected zone is established
extending for go miles around the
islands Pelagic sealing is allowed out
side the zone in Behring sea from Aug.
1. The use of firearms in sealing is pro-
hibited.
Tho sixth article of the treaty on
which the decision is based included
these five points:
1. Exclusive jurisdiction in Behring
exercised by Russia up to the cession of
Alaska.
Q. Recognition and concession of those
claims by England.
3. Did the treaty of 1925 between
England and Russia recognize Behring
sea as included in the Pacific ocean, and
what exclusive rights in Behring sea
did Russia exercise after 1925?
4. Did all Russia's jurisdictiona) and
fishery rights in Behring sea, east of
treaty boundary in 1867, pass to the
United States under that treaty?
5. Have the United States any and
what right of property and protection
in the fur seals frequenting the islands
of the United States in Behring sea
when found outside the three-mile
limitp
Baron de Courcel, after the decision
was rendered, thanked the arbitrators
for the close and intelligent attention
they brought to bear upon the case.
Lord Hammer and Senator Morgan,
in replying to the president of the trib-
unal acknowledged his courtesy and
hospitality.
The American arbitrators believe that
the regulations decided upon by the
tribunal mean practically the end of
pelagic sealing and that they are better
terms than were heretofore offered to
the United States by Great Britain as a
settlement of the questions involved.
The American arbitrators have ex-
pressed their satisfaction with the text
of the decision.
After a preamble stating the case sub
mitted for decision, the full text of the
award runs as follows:
We decide and determine as to the
five points mentioned in article 6, as to
which our award is to embrace Il dis
tinct decision upon each of them.
l. E...,A b i b.,
Baron de Courcel, John M. Harlan,
Lord Hammer. Sir John S. ID. Thompson,
MARQUIS Emilio Visconti-N enosta and
Gregero w. w. Gram, being a majority
of said arbitrators, do decide as follows:
BY the ukase of 1921 Russia claimed
jurisdiction i'll the sea now known as
Behring sea to the extent Of 100 Italian
miles from the coasts and islands be-
longing to her, but in the course of the
negotiations which led to the cOnclu-
sion of the treaty of 1924 with the
United States and the treaty of 1925
with Great Britain, Russia admitted
that her jurisdiction in said sea should
| be restricted so as to reach u cannon
shot from shore. 1t appears that from
that time up to the time of the cession
of Alaska to the United States, Russia
never asserted in fact or exercised any
exclusive jurisdiction in Behring sea or
any exclusive rights to the seal fisher
les therein. beyond the ordinary limit
of territorial waters.
AS to the second of the five points, we,
Baron de Courcel, John NJ. Harlan,
Lord Hammer, Sir John S. ID. Thomp-
son, Marquis Emilio Visconti-Venosta
and Gregero w. w. Gram, being a ma
jority of said arbitratOrs, decide and
determine that Great Britain did not
recognize or concede any claim upon
the part of Russia to exclusive iuris-
diction rs to the seal fisheries in Behring
sea outside the ordinary territorial
waters.
AS to the third point, as to so much
! thereof as requires us to decide whether
the body of water now known as Behr
ing sea was included in the phrase pa
cific ocean," as used in the treaty of
1925 between Great Britain and Russia
we unanimously decide to determine
that the body of water now known az
Behring sea was included in the phrase
"Pacific ocean as used in said treaty
On the fourth point we decide and de-
termine that all the rights of Russia to
jurisdiction and to the seal fisheries
passed to the United States, limited by
the cession.
On the fifth point we decide and de-
termine that the United States have no
right to the protection of or property in
the seals frequenting the islands of the
United States in Behring sea when
found outside the ordinary three mile
| limit.