Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-17
Editorial Comment of Some
London Papers.
ONE PAPER IS WELL SATISFIED
Another Says This Country
Got the Best of 1t.
Lending London Papers Take Different
Views of the Effect of the Decision--ES-
pressions of Opinion by the "Pail Mall
Gazette" tho ',st. James Gazette" and
the "Globe."


this city Of the United Press the Hon.
John w. Foster, American agent to the
Behring Sea tribunal of arbitration, said
that under the decision of the tribunal
no pelagic sealing can now be carried
on between May list and July 31st.
After that time such sealing may be
prosecuted in Behring Sea with spears
at distance of so miles from the
islands This decision limits pelagic
sealing to narrow bounds. Mr.. Foster
said he thought that may be the restric-
tons would render the pelagic industry
Improbable, The provision for close
season will not only prevent pelagic
hunting during three out OF the four
months when il can be said TO be very
profitable. but will break the sealing
season. The two forces of sralers sus-
pend operations during the best part of
tho summer.
1t leaves the right to hunt seals in the
North Pacific from January to May.
The weather during three-fourths of
that period is very unfavorable and the
catches then made are always small. 1t
also leaves the right to hunt seals in
part of Behring sea after July, which
means for a period of about % days,
after the expiration of which rough
weather compels the hunters to leave.
During these 20 days the hunters can
neither come within 60 miles of the
Pribyloff Islands nor use any weapon
except spears. Though the Indians are
permitted to hunt seals along the coast
from canoes, the catch made by them is
always very small.
Mr. Foster added: "True, the United
| States have not obtained all they con-
tended for, since they demanded the
total prohibition of pelagic sealing, but
the regulations now made are much
better than those Mr.. Blaine vainly
offered to Lord Salisbury in 1890 as n
settlement. Mr.. Blaine then proposed
as the sole restriction of pelagic sealing
| to prohibit il within go miles of the
Pribyloff Islands. The present settle
| ment is also more advantageous than
the one proposed by Mr.. Bayard in 1889,
as he asked no protection for the seals
during May and June. II has since
been found that the operations Of the
pelagic hunters were most destructive
to pregnant seals during these two
| months"
Tue decision appears to give general
satisfaction to the members of the Senate
committee ON foreign relations, which
committee had all those questions in
charge when the treaty was before the
Senate.
so far as / can understand the dis.
patch" said Senator Gray, sit would
seem that the right of the United States
to prevent pelagic sealing in the waters
of the Pacific ocean and Behring sea
had been denied by the board of arbi.
tration. If it had not been it would not
have been necessary to formulate rules
to be enforced by Great Britain and the
United States for the protection of seal
life. This is not unexpected, and is the
partial advantage, which, in my judg-
ment comes to the United States through
the submission of this question to arbi.
tration. ! have never thought there
could be any other outcome. 1t leaves
the freedom of the seas unimpaired tc
the United States and all other peoples
regulated only by the comfy OF nations
and settled international law. To nc
country in the world ia this freedom
more important than to us of the United
States"
II am disappointed about this de
cision," said Senator Frye, "for l be
lieyed the court would hold that we haC
a property right in the seals. 1t raises
very serious question as to liability fo
past action, which am not now pre-
pared to discuss. Of course, SO far q,
the decision goes in the direction of pro
tecting the seals, am gratified, though
l do not think it goes far enough.
do not think pelagic sealing should bt
| FNarnnitf01 af I'll I.nnlip,r oH No. 81
subject, am inclined to think that thu
sealeries OF Alaska are about destroyed
! already"
Senator Butler stated that the aware
: gave even more than he expected. "!
never believed said the Senator, "tha
: the contention of the United States tina
the Behring Sea was a closed sea coulC
be maintained. The sea was too larg,
a body of water for such claim to b,
exercised over, and necessarily, tn,
, court having decided against US ON tina
/ point, the Others incorporated under tn,
Q first four sections of article 6 of th,
> treaty fall with it.
1.-The chief thing in which we wert
interested was the prevention of tina
kind Of sealing which is surely destroy
!, ing the seal life, and If England, a
i these dispatches say, intends to ioir
/. with us in the preservation of the seal
and establish and maintain closed sea
: son between certain dates in both the
9 Northern Pacific and the Behring Sea
a we have achieved victory and gaineC
: the material point.
"rhe establishment of protected
/ zone about tine islands, of course, give:
: US property right there that is appre
l ciated, but that would not strike at til,
/ evil. 1t is when the seals are proceed
ing northward in immense schools TO
j, breeding purposes that they have beef
!. destroyed, and it is this sort of thin
f that will be stopped by the cooperation
G Of Great Britain and tho United States
+ Therein lies the perpetuation of sea
life. The Judgment oil the court is yer,
), satisfactory"
c LONDON, Aug. 16.-The Pail Ma
y Gazette, commenting editorially upo
+ the decision of the Behring Sea Tri
!, bunal of Arbitration, says:
The award is satisfactory to Englan
l and need not be regretted by the Unite
e States. 1t ratifies the inalienable RICH
Q of vessels to sail the high seas free an
J; undisturbed. The stability of thi
d primary canon law of nations is q
!. more value to the United States tina
e many seal skins. The decision whic
n will result in the preservation of tn
J seals is wise, humane and far-reachinf
1t may cause present falling off in tn
income OF certain sealers, but it will SC
g cure to the world regular supply of
precious luxury.
IS The st. James Gazette ridiculcs til
e idea that the award is q triumph ia
e | Great Rritoin or for ;nta,,., 80 II = :