The morning call., 1894-03-30
AN OCEAN TO BE GUARDED.
Vast Task Set for England and
America.
FUR SEALS MUST BE PROTECTED
Pearl Harbor Will Make an Excel.
lent Supply Station for the
Patrol Fleet.

WASHINGTON. March 29.-Wheu Ad-
miral John 6. Walker sails from San Fran
cisco on April for Honolulu he will carry
with him instructions having a most-m-
portant bearing on the Bering Sea ques-
ton, all speculation and reports to the
contrary Notwithstanding. Admiral Wal
ker was not selected by the President for
this mission on account of any threaten
Ing condition of affairs in Hawaii, for the
official adVices received from that country
gave no hint of trouble or of restoration
to be expected in the near future, and
Admiral Walkers stay at Honolulu will
not be over two months at the most. Dur
ing his stay, if trouble should arise, he will
be in position to command the situation.
but there Is no such expectation and the
admiraPs mission has mostly to do with
the seal question.
The arbitration just concluded provides
for joint protection by the United States
and Great Britain over the seal waters and
these two nations are bound 10 secure, if
they can, the cooperation of other inter-
ested nations, including Russia, Japan and
China and perhaps Germany. The policing
of the seal waters. which had previously
been a temporary expedient, was made a
arbitration and the difficulties in the exc
cution of the task had been enormously IL
creased by the vast extent of the pro-
tected zone fixed by the arbitration, COM
priSing all the Pacific Ocean east of the
one hundred and eightieth meridian and
north OF the thirty-ffth parallel and Bering
Sea.
If the effort to secure the cooperation of
Russia, Japan and China should succeed,
OF which there is every promise, the zone
would be still further extended so as to in
clude the Western Pacific to the shores of
Asia. No such task as this-the policing
of vast oceau-was ever before under
taken, and 1t became necessary 10 devise
by what means this could be done etfec-
lively, economically and permanently by
the combined action of the nations inter-
ested.
The first requisite to an effective and
economics al patrol was the establishment of
bases of supplies. There will probably be
three Of these-San Francisco on the east,
Yokohama on the west and Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, in the center, all on the lower
boundary of the protected zone. The first
two are already within reach, but it is The
establishment of the third which has
Hawaii. He will select the best location,
looking TO its adaptabiity for the ready
supply and in a limited way repair of the
cruisers engaged in the patrol service, and
estimate the difficulties to be met In dredg-
ing a channel across the bar to the entrance
to Pearl Harbor. and upon his report to
the President will depend the expenditure
of the S250,000 which has for two years
for the establishment of naval stations.
LONDON, March 29.-Embassador Bay
ard, in an interview to-day 10 regard to the
Bering Sea negotiations, said there was
perfect accord between the two Govern
ments in regard to the plans and methods
of enforcing the award. He secuted the
idea that there had been danger of COM
plcations since the award was made, say
ing In conclusion: "NO difficulty what
ever need be feared between the United
States and Great Britain on the subject"
In the House OF Commons, on motion of
Sir Charles Russell. Attorney General,
leave was given to introduce a bill for the
enforcement of the award of the Bering
Sea Fisheries Arbitration Commission. The
bill was read for the first time. 1t pro-
vides that any violation OF the terms of
award is punishable, and authorizes Brit
ish warshi ps to seize British vessels en-
gagged in violation of the award. The bill
empowers the Queen, by order in council,
TO authorize certain named officers in the
United States navy equally to seize British
ships found violating the award. In the
American bill a similar provision will be
included. empowering British officers to
seize American vessels. The bill fixes the
time for closing the fisheries. specifies the
protective area, prescribes the authorized
modes of capture, and gives rule by which
the system of licenses is to be worked.