The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-11

white and Kate and Anne Of San Francisco.
the Vancouver Dele Of Vancouver. and the
Ariel, Carlotta, Rosie Olsen. and Willie Nc
Gowan Of Victoria we're among the vessels
thus visited. but others escaped the cruiser
and brought away their catches.
In these cases the question OF maritime
Jurisdiction involved In our dispute with
England again came up. II Is little curl
GUS that while our primary and extreme
claims on that subject. as put by Mr.. BLAINE
and rejected by the Paris tribunal. we're
founded on Russlas cession OF 1895 and her
own previous claims. the st. Petersburg
authorities. throughout the controversy,
had been wary Of practically supporting
them 10 the extent shown by the acts OF our
cruisers. Russia did capture poachers, per-
haps twenty miles or more from her shores.
but that was moderate distance compared
with that OF some Of our seizures, and, what
lie more important. the 01iciai Messenger Of
st. Petersburg insisted that only those YES
sells we're seized whose logs showed that
they had been within admitted Russian
waters, and had escaped. and afterward had
been overhauled on the high seas.
However. the need OF an agreement with
England was felt. and 1t was made. But
with the United States no such agreement
was then required. because our Government
virtually admitted all the territorial juris-
diction for seal protection that Russia
claimed. and made no effort. we believe. to
save seized American poachers from fate
which. according to Its theory, they fully
merited. But with the Paris decision fixing
a new standard Of international law on the
subject, an agreement with Russia became
desirable. both for the protection OF the
Pribylov group from her sealers and Of the
Commander group and other Russian terri
tory from ours. 1t further became deslr-
able to adopt. as far as practicable. the
new Paris regulations for pelaRic hunting.
Such Is the origin OF the new treaty with
Russia. Naturally Il differs somewhat from
the Anglo Russian agreement. although
perhaps more striking arc the points Of
identity. Thus its prohibitory zones are
thirty miles around the Commander and
Robin islands and ten miles along the
Russian mainland, as In the British treaty,
whereas, as will be remembered. our Priby-
Low zone OF prohibition has a siIty-mile
radius, and this latter. as we understand. Is
also accepted there by Russia, as IL the
closed season restriction OF the Paris de-
cision. Russia, too. may seize and turn
over to the United States for punishment
American poachers, as in the Anglo-Ameri-
can rules. II we do not mistake. how
ever. In the AnRlo-Russlan treaty the
Russian catch at the rookeries is linn
tied to $1,000 year. whereas In our treaty
It is limited to an equality with the number
that may be fixed by the United States for
the Pribylov rookeries. In the third and
fourth articles Of the treaty are special
provisions by which a licensed vessel may
report to naval or customs officer Of the
United States and submit to certain exam
nations OF her cargo and outfit, receiving
certificates in order to avoid seizure on the
charge Of breaking the laws. or being
found within the restricted areas.
A treaty with japan would perhaps now
be the proper supplement to this one with
Russia.