The record-union., 1894-02-15
Special to the REcoRD-Ux1ox.

WASHINGTON, Feb. IA. = The sober
judgment of both parties to the Behring
Sea arbitration discloses the fact that
the agreement reached by the arbitrators
is not entirely satisfactory TO either the
United States or Great Britain. 1t ap-
pears, however. that the dissatisfaction is
based rather on matters of detail than
upon any objection to the broad prInci-
pies upon which the arbitration was
based.
For months past there has been much
correspondence and many interviews be-
tween Secretary Gresham, Sir Julian
Pauncefote and Minister Bayard, with a
view to its adjustment. One of the flaws
Gresham is said to have found is the fail
ure to provide penalties for infraction OF
the provisions, and it would be of little
avail to capture pelagic sealing vessels,
only to have them turned loose again
upon the seal herds as soon as the cases
were brought before the courts. The
Secretary is trying to have this defect
cured. The United States is able to pun
lSh pelagic sealerS brought before Its
courts, but the Canadian law is defective,
and thus an International agreement Is
desirable.
The Canadians have discovered that a
rigid enforcement of the articles Of agree
ment would destroy their seal-tlshlng
industry Sir Julian Pauncefote is now
laboring to mitigate the misfortune of
Canadians by securing considerable re-
Sirction of the limits of the closed zone
around the seal islands, within which the
seals may not be taken by vessels, and
shortening the closed season.
The British Government is making an
effort to secure a recall of the n1OdltS Ui-
geHd5 under which operation in the seal
waters were governed last year. This
suggestion touches the rights Of the
North American Commercial Company.
Under the ntOdatS the company was per-
mtted to take only 1900 sealskins last
year, and was thereby deprived of the
large income that might have been real
lied under the terms of their lease, be-
sides being put to heavy expense to feed
natives of the seal islands, who subsist
upon the rOokeries. So the company has
entered an energetic protest against re-
ueWai OF the Hlod1tS. Pelagic sealers man
aged to take 100, 600 skins last season,
while the company was limited to 1900.
Meanwhile the need for speedy agree
ment Of some kind is evidenced by the
fact that already a number of sealing YES
sells are reported to have cleared for the
sealing waters, and are consequently al
most beyond the reach of proper notice
in change of the regulations.
Levi w. Myers, Consul at Victoria, B.
c., reports to the State Department that
fleet of sailing schooners hailing from
that port are now ready for the work of
the coming season, and all are expected
to be out by February 1st. They took
provisions for nine months. They clear
for the North Pacific. He says: Il am
assured that all expect to 90 direct to the
Russian side, the restrictions of that Gov
ernment terminating by their own terms
on January l, 1894. Thirty-four vessels
of the fleet have sailed from Victoria for
Japan, and ten for the North Pacific,
making forty-four in all. The fleet Of
1892 consisted Of eighty-tive vessels, and
of last year fifty-two. The number for
this year, it is estimated, will not exceed
fiftyu