The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18
Tho Zone OF Protection.

The Zone OF Protection.
Sir RICHARD WEBSTER In his argument
before tho Paris Tribunal OF Arbitration,
has lust been insisting that to prohlpi'
pelnpio sealing for n distance OF twenty
miles from the Pribylov Islands would
give ample protection to the fur seals
In this view Sir RICHARD with the privl-
lego Of an advocate. makes tho smaliest
possible concession for his side. very llkeiy
our representatives go to the other extreme
I'm their demands for zone OF protection.
Tho question is one OF fact, depending on
the production OF evidence relating to tho
habits and necessities OF tho animals. sec
retnry BLAINE Is said to have argued IN
conference ut Washington. that the mother
eeals swim out as far rs nifty miles in search
of food, Other distances spoken OF In tho
course OF the controversy have been forty
and sixty miles. 1t Is sometimes insisted
thai seals have been seen swimming hun
dred miles from tho Pribylov Islands. tho
evidence being that they had como outt from
those islands.
The formal proposition OF Lord SAILS
BURY on this subject. when modus r'rcndt
was under consideration, was. II we rightly
remember. that the zone OF protection
should be thirty miles wido. Great Britain
is making arrangements for modus with
Russia. and perhaps may have already
concluded them. on the basis OF protective
zone around tho Commander Islands ana
along tho Russian coast. 1t was announced
at St. Petersburg that q Russian Commits
sion appointed to examine tho subject found
that territorial jurisdiction for seal protec-
ton purposes should extend thirty leagues
from tho shore. but it Is improbable that
Great Britain would concedo that distance
Tho great point, however, Is not whether
the zone should DO ten or thirty leagues
wide, but whether there should be any zone
at all beyond that Of the single marine
league which measures tho jurisdiction Or
dinariy conceded to nation. Tho moment
the necessity for such an increase Is con-
coded, the question becomes purely one OK
degree, determinable by testimony as to
tho facts in the case. 1t would DO dis
tinct gain to show that the threemile limit
q purely arbitrary standard at best. is no
longer hard and fast rulo for all cases.
This was clearly in Mr.. BLA1NE's mind
when he sought to show, in the case OF the
island Of st. Helena and in several other
Instances, that Great Britain herself had
insisted on an extension Of the ordinary
three-mile limit OF Jurisdiction. In excep-
tional cases where tho marine league would
furnish no adequate protection whatever.
This Is part OF the American case at
Paris to-day; and when we find even Sir
RICHARD WEBSTER arguing that. II any
Eone Is needed which he docs not admit.
twenty miles Is radius enough. instead OF
thirty or fifty or one hundred miles. thcre
Il ground for surmising that our repre-
eentatlves may not come away wholly
empty-handed. 1t Is the great principle OF
extending the three-mile limit OF jurisdic-
ton at oil that ia at stake. and how much 1t
shall be extended Is question OF detail.
It In true that Great Britain does not con-
cede this extension as a matter OF right.
even II 1t be ono OF expediency; and the
question OF right is one Of tho points to be
determined. The American argument Is,
In part, that the standard Of tho marine
league being purely arbitrary. and fixed
with view to the protection OF territory
and property. tho carrying out OF this
purpose might make an exception tC
the rule as good law rs tho rule itself
There is something preposterous in holding
that modern nations are ineXorably bound
to conventional rules made generations OIL
centuries ago. whom even the facts demand
Ing an exception to them at the pres
emit time were not known. But ever
should Great Britain gain q nominal VIC
tory on this point. the power lodged in thu
arbiters is such that practically decisive
opinion can be rendered by them as to wha
1 sort Of zone the protection Of the fur seal
really demands. 1t will not be surprising
to find them taking u liberal Wow Of THU
+ matter: and. accordingly, though our rep
Z sosentatives went to Paris heavily handi
capped by the terms Of arbitration. as W,
have repeatedly shown. they may yet bring
away some practical fruits Of importance
4 In the actual protection OF the seals.