The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-08-17
BERTNG SEA DECISION.
II Is Regarded as a Compro-
mise Verdict.
AMERICAN ARBlTRirORs PLEASED
They Claim tho Terms Are Better Than
Those oGered the United states by Great
Britain--wm Put an End to Pelagio
Sealing.

Those offered the United states by Great
BritHin---wm Put an End to Pelagio
Sealing.
PARIS, Aug. 16.-The Bering sea
arbitrators have rendered their decision.
The first Ave points of article 8 are de-
cided against the United States.
A close season beginning May / and
ending July 81, is established. The
close season must be observed both in
Bering sea and the North Pacific ocean.
A protected zone is established ex-
tending sixty miles around the seal
islands
Pelagic sealing is allowed outside this
protected zone only after August l. To
prevent the indiscriminate and whole
sale slaughter of seals the use of fire
arms is prohibited.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
first five points of article are decided
against the United States, the American
arbitrators express their satisfaction
with the text of the decision.
After the decision was read Baron De
Courcel, president of the tribunal,
thanked the arbitrators for their intelli-
gent attention during the hearing. Lord
Hammer and Senator Morgan replied
acknowledging the courtesy and hospit-
ality of Baron De Courcel.
The American arbitrators say the
regulations decided upon by the trib.
unal will practically end pelagic seal
ing. The terms, they say, are better
kbo, +loso haro4oF,,o g.Crarod +ba ITpita1
States by Great Britain as settlement
of the questions involved.
In accordance with article 5 of the
convention for the renewal Of the modus
vivendi the decision of the arbitrators
will compel the United States to COM
pensate Great Britain for the use
of her subiects) for abstaining from the
capture of seals in Bering sea during
the tendency of the arbitration. This
article reads as follows:
If the result of the arbitration be to
affirm the right of British sealers to
take seals in Bering sea within the
bounds claimed by the United States
under its purchase from Russia, then
compensation shall be made by the
United States to Great Britain (for the
use of her subjects) for abstaining from
the exercise of the right during the
pendency of the arbitration upon the
basis Of such regulated and limited
catch or catches as in the opinion of the
arbitrators might have been taken with
ont an undue diminution Of the seal
herds; and, on the other hand If the
result of the arbitration shall be to
deny the right of British sealers to take
seals within the said waters, then com
pensation shall be made by Great
Britain to the United States for itself
its citizens and lessees) for this agree
ment to limit the island catch to $500
season, upon the basis Of the differ
ences between this number, and such
larger catch as in the opinion of the
arbitratOrs might have been taken with
out an undue diminutiOn of the seal
herd. The amount awarded, if any in
either case, shall be such as under all
the circumstances is Just an equitable,
and shall be promptly paid.
1t will be seen that this article deals
only with damages for the short period
during which the arbitration proceed
ings were being conducted and does not
touch the question of damages prior to
that time. Article of the treaty
proper states that the high contracting
parties find themselves unable to agree
upon reference which shall include
the question of the liability of each for
the injuries alleged to have been sus-
tanned by the other, and accordingly
they agree ''that either must submit to
the arbitrators any question of fact in
volved in said claims and ask for find
ing thereon, the question of the liza
bility of either government upon the
facts found to be the subject of further
negotiations"
Questions of fact permitted by article
8 were submitted to the tribunal and
the arbitrators have handed down a
special finding on them with reference
70 the seizure of the British vessels in
Bering sea in 1887 and 1889.
Further information is awaited as to
the nature of this finding which will
probably afford a clue TO the measure
Of damages likely to be assessed against
the United States.