The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-16
BEHRING SEA DECISION.
Declaration Of the International
Board Of Arbitration.
a COMPROMISE DECREE ADOPTED

ponrlnS sea triDunhi nus JUST Dcen ndhueu
down. The first Ave points of article are
decided against the United States.
A close season is established, to begin
May l, and to continue until July 81. This
hhall be observed in the Northern Pacific
ocean and Behring sea. A protected zone
Il established extending sixty miles around
she seal islands.
Pelagic sealing In allowed outside this
protected gone only after Aug. /. The
present indiscrminate and wholesale
slaughter Of seals by the use Of firearms is
prohibited.
Notwithstanding the fact that the first
five points of article G are decided against
the United States, the American arbitra-
tors express their satisfaction with the
text Of the decision.
After the decision was read Baron de
Courcel, president of thetrbunak thanked
the arbitrators for their intelligent attcn-
tion during the hearings. Lord Hannen
and Senator Morgan replied. acknowledge
Ing the courtesy and hospitality of Baron
de Courcel.
The American arbitrators say the regu-
tations decided upon by the tribunal mean
practically the end of pelagc sealing.
The terms, they say, are better than those
heretofore offered the United States by
Great Britain as settlement of tho quss-
siops involved.
After preamble stating the case sub
mitted for decision the full text OF the
award runs as follows
We decide and determine ms to the five
points mentioned in article as to which
our award is to embrace distinct decision
upon each of them.
AS to the first of said five points we,
Baron de Courcel, John NJ. Harlan, Lord
Hnnnen, Sir John S. ID. Thompson, Mar
nnis Emilio Nsconti-N NenostR and Gregoro
w W. Gram, being majority OF said ar
hitrators, do decide as follows:
BY the ukase of 1891 Russia claimed
jurisdiction in the sea now known as L. h
Bang sea TO the extent OF 100 Italian miles
from the coasts and islands belongings to
her, but in the course of the negotiations
which led to the conclusion Of the treaty
OF 1924 nth the United States and the
treaty of 1895 with Great Britain Russia
admitted that her jurisdiction in said se.
should be restricted SO as to reach cannon
shot from shore. 1t appears that from
that time up to the time Of the cession of
Alaska to tie United Stated Russia never
asserted in fact or exercised any exclusive
Jurisdiction in Behrng sea or any exclu-
hiYe rights to the seal fisheries therein,
beyond the ordinary limit of territorial
waters.
AS to the second of the five points we,
Baron de Courtel, John NJ. Harlan. Lord
Hannen, Sir john S. d. Thompson, Mar
ppis Emilio Nisconti-N NcnUsta and Ciregero
w. w Gram, being majority of said ar
bitrators, decide and determine that Great
Britain did not recngnize or concede auy
Alsim upon the part Of Russia To exclusive
Jurisdiction as 90 the seal fisheries IN Behr-
bag sea outside the ordinary territorial
waters.
AS to the third point, as to so much
Ahsreof as requires us to decide whether
khe body of water now known us Behring
Aea was included in the phrase Pacific
BEGAN" and used ia the treaty of lS9J be-
eWeen Great Britain and Russia, we
unanimously decide to determine that the
body of water now known us BchrinS sea
was included in the phrase Pacific ocean"
rs used in said treaty.
On the fourth point we decide and deter
mine that all the rights of Russia to juris-
aiotion and to tho seal fisheries passed 10
the Unite. States limited by the ctssion.
On the fifth point we decide and deter
ppine that the United States have no ght
% the protection of or property in the seals
srequenting the islands Of the United
States in Behring sea when found outside
the ordinary three mile limiS. And,
whereas, the aforesaid determination oil
ths foregoing questions as to the exclusive
Surisdictlun OF the United States leaves
the subject in such position thnt the con
surrcnce OF GreaJ Britain is necessary 10
the establishment of regulations for the
proper protection and preservation OF fur
deals habitually resortlng to Behring sea,
we assent to the whole Of the nine ARTICLES
Of the following regulations as necessary
outside OF the jurisdiction limits of the
HiN#a@ FtagaAF
should extend over The waters hareln men
tioned.
The following regulations were adopted
by majority OF the arbit rators, MIR, liar.
han and Sir John Thompson dissenting:
Article l. The United States and Great
Britain shall forbid their citizens and Sub
iects respectively to Kill, capture or pur'
Sue at any time or in any manner wEab
ever the animals commonly called ful
seals within zone of sixty miles arounG
she Pribyloff islands, inclusive OF the tey
waters, the miles being Geographica
miles, sixty to II degree uf latitude.
Article O. The two governments shall
forbid their citizens or subjects 10 Kill
capture or pursue in amy manner whatever
during season extending in each yea
from May to July 81 inclusive fur seal
on the high sea in that part of the Paeiti
ocean inclusive of Dehring sea, htuatet
north Of the thirty fifth degree OF norti
latitude or eastward Of the one huudrs,
and eightieth degree of longitude fron
Greenwich until it strikes the water houn
Diary described in article OF the treaty 0
1857 between the United States and Russia
following that line up 10 BchIing straits
Article B. During the period OF time Iht
waters in which fur senling is Rllowei
only sailing vessels shall he permitted 1
carry on or take part in fur seating opera
tions. They wlB, however, be at lioeEt
to avail themselves of the use Oh sue
canoes or undecked boats, propelled b
paddles, oars or sails, as are III coinmo
use as fishing boats.
Article L. Each sailing vessel authorize
to carry on fur scaling must be provide
with special license issued for the pu
nose by its government. Each vessel s
rmployel shall be required To carry III
tinguising aag prescribed by its govern
anent.
Article s. The masters of vessels engage
In fur sealing shall enter accurately IN a
offical log book the date and place Of eac
operation, the number OF and the Sex
the seals captured daily
Article 9. The use OF nets, firearms
explosives is forbidden in fur sealing
Article 7. The two governments sha
take measures TO control tue fitness OIL Il
men authorized to engage in sealing.
Article g. Ihs preceding Regulation
Snail not apply 10 Indians dwelling on th
coast of the territories Of the United Stat.
or Great Britain carrying on fur sealing
canoes or undecked boats not transport.
by or used In connection with other vessel
>krd propelled wholly by paddles, ours
and manned by not more than f.
bersons In the wsy hitherto practiced |
the Indians: provided. that such lndial