Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-16
PRACTICALLY A VICTORY.
what Hessrs. Foster, Coudert and
Phelps Say of the Paris Decfsiou,

What Messrs. Foster, Coudert and
Phelps Say of the Paris Decfxiou.
Mr.. John W. Foster. American agent to
the Bering Sea Tribunal of Arbitration,
said yesterday in Paris after the decision
was rendered:
The United States have not obtai,ed
All they contended for. since they demand
60 tne total prohibition OF pelagic sealing,
put the regulations now made are much
better than those Mr.. Blaine vainIy offered
70 Lord Salisbury in 1880 as a settlement.
Mr.. Blaine then proposed as a sole restric-
eon OF peiagic sealing to prohibit it within
sixty miles OF the Pribylof Islands
me present settlement IS also more ad-
vantageous than the one proposed by Mr.
baFard In 1883. as he asked no protection
ior the seals during May and June. II has
since been found that the operations of the
Peiasic hunters were most destructive to
preenant seals during these two months"
MI Foster said that under the decision
OF the tribunal no pelagic sealing can now
De carried on between May 1 and July 81
after that time such sealing may be prose-
Suteo In Bertns sea with spears at q dis
lance OF sixty miles from the islands. This
pounds Mr.. Foster said that he thought
that may be the restrictions would render
shs pelasic industry Improbable. The pro-
VISION Tor a close season will not only pre-
vent pelagfc hunting during three out of
tne Tour months when Ii can be said to be
Eery profitable. but will break the seal
ing season. The two forces OF seaiers sus-
Rsno operations during the best part Of
North Pacific from January to May. The
weather durtSg three-fourths of that per-
100 Is very 6nfavorable and the catches
then made are always small 1t also leaves
tne right 70 hunt seals in part of Boring sea
after July. which means for a period of
about twenty-five days after the expiration
rough weather q
ers to leave During these twenty-five
GAYS the hunters can neither come within
Sixty miles of the Pribylof Islands nor use
any weapon except spears. Though the
!nuians are permitted to hunt seals along
the coast from canoes the catch made by
tnern Is always very small
-iaJ. Williams, one OF the American at
taches. said that the result Of the reg,ila-
lions would probably be the abandonment
of the Canadian pelagic hunting as IL will
not pay under the restrictions imposed.
The consensus Of opinion among the
though technical success rests with Great
Britain on legal points, on practical grounds
arbitration was entered upon to preserve
suit
Frederic R. Coudert. who was one Of the
counsel of the United States before the
tribunal. said:
The object Of the United States was to
protect its property In seals. In order to
do this 1t advanced a number Of PROPOSE
tons all tending to the same end. namely.
II.
istence Of which. commercially speaking
was in imminent danger. II he eject Of
the decision is to protect the seal The OBJ
tsct OF the United States Is gained. even
though our government should not have the
satisfaction Of maintaining all rs theories
Prohibit firearms and the pelagic bust
ness Will be fatally crippled. i may add
that the terms thus given are very much
better and more favorable than any thus
view OF the case the decision may fairly be
treated as a triumph for the United
Ex-Minister Edward J. Phelps said: II
regard II as favorable to the United States
and as giving Us all that the government
London Newspaper Views.
The London Daily Telegraph says Of the
Boring sea decision:
England may rejoice with Canaia at
the decision. which is an equitable triumph
OF the new and peaceful International prin-
ciple-reason in the place O. force. Even
had the arbitration resulted In favor of
America We should have submitted with
the best grace to the decision, which re-
moves a fertile source of pickering between
the two countries. Our advocates have ira
versed the absurdly wide American preten-
the arbitrators have brushAd aside these
tnely-woven pleas and have given a yer
dict for common sense and Great Britain
ct pleased as We naturally are to see Eng
land and Canada win their suit IL Is a
greater and nobler pleasure still to believe
ueC.-
sion and that we thus nave witnessed
another victory of the lofty Christian sub
stitutiOn Of rational arbitration for force |
OF arms"
The London Daily News says: I
The decision Is substantially in favor OF |
the case advanced by England Sir Charles
Russelfs powerful argument convinced the
arbitrstors that We legally were in the
right and the Americans in the wrong.
Thompson refuse to assent to the reguIa-
lions We have not the Sightesc doubt.
however. that these resulation. are wise
and just Even were they nor IL would be
our duty to obey them. and wa rust that
no difficulty will be raised by the Canadian
1T has been hastily predicted that the
fewer the seals killed In the water The
more will be the seals KILLED On land.
There, however. the American government
probably will intervene. The danger for
merry was not due to American law, but
Americans are gravely concerned to IRE
vent the determination Of the goose rnat
lays SO many golden eggs
The whole country is deeply indebted to
Sir Charles Russell who has won a nc.aLle
victory, not only for England, but also for
justice. freedom and the comfy of nations.
Our own correspondent adds .he satisfac-
tory intelligence that the lecision causes
neither surprise nor disappointment there.
that the irritating circumstances of the
seizures should not have prevented him
from proposing a reference which has re-
suited so happily and we'll
Sir Charles Dixie said last evening tEat
England had every reason to congratulate
herself in view of the Bering sea decision.
Concerning the matter % damages ie-
ferred to by the London Pail AIan Ga
zette's Paris correspondent the Paris rep
resentative OF the Central News telegrarhs:
The question of the amo1lt Of damages
for seizures OF British vessels in Ber1ng
sea was not submitted 10 the arbiyators,
but by mutual consent was reserved by
treaty for future negotiations"
Justice Harlan's View.
In an interview last evening Justice liar
Ian expressed the opinion, in agreement
with Mr.. Foster. that the r.ynla.iols speci-
fed by the tribunal would check pelazic
sealing. and thus go far toward accom-
pltshing one OF the chief aims o. the INIT
ed states The general ,esult Of the arbi-
ration was far in advance % anything the |
United States had demanded.