The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-18
THE SEAL DECISION.
1t Will Compel Payment Of Ger
tain Claims at Once.
BUT NOT THOSE FOR SEIZURES.


the fffbUnAt Ougnt TO fasriy sattsif
Canada. liz vas Inevitable. he said. that
any regulations should tend 10 restrict
pelagie sealing. because the treaty
had not given the srhltrssors
the right 10 regulate the kill
ing Of seals on land or within
territorial waters. ''The regulations
John. would have literally abolished Pc
iagic sealing. in accordance With the
American contention. The practical rea-
sons which Lord Hammer and advanced,
however, induced modification. This so
dissatisfied the America Wbitrators that
they refused to vote in ~: matter"
CHtcAso, Aug. I5.-Ths leading feature
oi today's session Of the peace congress
was the sending Of telegram 20 Queen
Victoria and the president. as follows:
The Worlds peace congress at Chicago
sends equal congratulations to Great
Britain and America on the triumph Of
arbitration as a substitute for war, as ex-
empliGed IA the recent Boring sea deci-
sion. cemeuting the friendship OF both
nations and full Of tho happiest angury
for mankind"
WAsHlxGTox CITr. Aug. t7.--Interest Of
hciaiiy IN the Berng sea decision now
centeFs ia the question OF the damages
this country will be Obliged 20 pay Great
Britain for the use Of seai-hunting sub
tecis kept out Of Boring sea through the
operation OF the modHs yivendi or those
seized 49, poachers prior 70 the agreement.
In accordance with article 5 of the con
vention for renewal Of tho modus vivendi
tae arbitration tribunal must decide how
much compensation - due Great Britain
from the United States To be used for
British sub jects for abstaining from exer-
cise Of the right to take seals in Bering
tea during tile pending arbitration. IL Is
understood the commissioners of arbitra-
ton have already passed on the subject.
but their report has no. been made public.
SO much is definitely settled with regard
20 the damages this government will be
Obliged 10 pay, and they must be paid
promptly by the agreement in the treaty
renewing the modus vivendi. But the
main question OF damages for seizures
made is not in so dciinablo and settled n
condition.
Nothing in the arbitration treaty or the
convention for renewal Of the modus
vivendi makes provision for allowing dam
ages TO persons who have been injured
through the unlawful seizure of sealing
vessels, and IL 10 stated at the department
Of state that tho matter must take the
course usually followed In diplomacy.
Claims against the United States. either
individually or in bulk, must be filed by
the owners Of the vessels seized. In case
of failure 20 come 10 some basis of settle
ment without resort to arbitration-and IL
Is predicted that failure will oceur-the
two governments wall agree 10 leave the
question TO the judgment of an unpreju-
diced tribunal. and 10 this end claims
commission win be appointed. 1t there
fore TO be seen that some time must eiapse
before definite arrangement can be
reached respecting the course of procedure
with reference to the assessment Of seizure
damages.
An extraordinary and unexpected sequel
of the controversy 10 that the lessces of
the Pribiiof islands. who, since the agita-
ton of the questions now decided by arbi-
trstion, have year by year been restrained
by the United States within narrower
limits IN regard TO the number of seals
captured. have now been officially advised
that the full amount Of their stipulated
rental will be exacted from them by the
United States. and that the action of the
previous administration in reducing the
rental to correspond with the reductions
enforced in tho catch was illegal. secre-
tary Carlisle today made an official de-
mand on the North American Commercial
Company for ss7o. Ill for rental and bonqs
of the PTibilof islands. The amount que by
years Is stated as follows: iss,o. s47. s0s;
1901. si3S. CPS; isas. sI0s. Ss6 The action of
Secretary Carlisle is haseqf on an opinion
rendered By Attorpey General olney. In
his letter 10 Isl0yd Tcvis. OF san Fran.
cisco, pres1dent Of the North American
COMMERCIAL Company. Secretary Carlisle
: Says: ''The action OF my predecessors in
making q reduction in the rental and
bonus which your company agreed
10 pay TO the United States an
der Its contract FOR the exclu-
sive privilege of taking fur seals
I'm Alassa was without authority Of Law.
The original contract was entered into in
iSsa and fixed the annual rental at sti1. uso
Ier year. and limited the maximum catch
in any one year 10 10000 seals which
catch could be reduced in the discretion 81
the secretary of the treasury. In addition
TO this rental the government Was 10 re-
ceive saen per skin GA each zeal taken.
besides other provisions az 20 the care Of
natives. The secretary Of the treasury
fixed the limit of the catch tho first year
at 800 seals, The next year about 1900
we're taken. and tn iS9a. 10. 5oa Acting
on an opinion rendered bv Attorney ten.
eral Miller, Secretary Charles Foster. as
he had reduced the catch OF seals from the
original contract number Of 10000. re.
decsd the rent N proportion. This action
of Secretary Foster is now declared 10 hsva
been illegal hence tas demand made.
which tt l. understood, will De followed
by legal proceedings Ia case the demand is
no. complied With,
I.aSpoS, Aug ia Tfssss editorial saws
that II is the policy 81 lord Salisbury
and NOS that ot Blaine. which Is justified
~ the reriug sea asAsd. Il admits tbs;
America -, the Advantage on the prae.
teal question Of tas method og hantJac
seals, and il seems odd thAt one system al
slaughter should DC supervised while Shs
other is not.
Tho Paris correspondent of the Tgnrs
quotes tbls passage tsefa tbe speech O.
havon de I'ourcel In elaxlas tbe arssst,u q.
the GesjnE sea tribunal
Eve have songht g. maintain intact ths
fundamental principle cf thts august gtghl
81 the reopse. which estenas axe ths
vsuss OF shs say above al nations aaa
haFFows from tbe laws ot nature Nsesf e
protect enc pesptS Of the eaEth against An
other aaa - ineu;esse "a them pF.uclpies
e good wsll ia the regulations ne wers
tntsnSsesi a. elaborate we Aa1 ia decide ee
tween divergent rights and {nlerests
Which is wAs dIsste9lK - canel8sate. THIS
IaFt ct o8r aoEk consrcya&es EFess tnno
sat40@. htaefso aassons have Serse3 q
lesvc OUTSIDE % al sTer3as legislation ths