The morning call., 1894-03-28
HAWAII OR THE FUR SEALS.
Full Instructions Given to the
Officer.
ALL IS QUIET ON THE ISLANDS.
While England Shows a Disposition
Not to Live Up to Her
Agreement.

WASHINGTON, March PA leading
member of the Senate Committee on For
elgn Relations, who is also q personal
friend OF Rear-Admiral Walker, discussing
the mission of the dmiral to the Pacific,
said to-day that while be had no reason
to speak authoritatively for the admiral or
the State Department. he believed his
mission had far more to do with the
Bering Sea question than with Hawaii.
Affairs at Honolulu" be said, ''are
quiet at present, and [ do not think there
Is any prospect of disturbance. The
Bering Sea question is by no means in a
satisfactory condition. England is ap-
parently not taking steps to put into exc
cutlon the regulations for the control of
the seal fisheries, and it begins to look as
II that country was preparing to evade the
spirit OF the international agreement, and
would use Canada for that purpose. l
nave said to Admiral Walker that if [
occupied his position as commander of the
Pacific squadron | should see that Eng
land had no excuse for misunderstanding
the position of the United States.
"Of course he has his instructions and
will be governed by them, and he does not
take me into his onfidence, but my
knowledge of his character leads me 10
believe that he will go as far as he con-
sist-ntly can in the direction l have ind-
Gated | am confident that he fully appre-
ciates the situation. and that there will be
no trfling on his part"
Admiral Walker has finally received his
Instructions and now expects to leave
Washington for San Francisco tomorrow
afternoon. The naval regulations pro-
hibit any public discussion OF such orders
by the recipient, and Secretary der bert
declines TO talk. All that is known is that
the admiral will go direct to Honolulu by
the steamer of April unless con ting ,ncy
arises before that date. At Honolulu Al
miral Walker will be in command of all
tile United States forces in the Eastern
Pacific. and if 1t should be necessary for
HIM to take personal command of the YES
sells which will patrol the seal waters, he
probably could reach the scene of opera
lions within two weeks after notice. Both
parties to the Bering Sea arbitration are of
the opinion that the few matters remain
ing to be adjusted can De disposed of
within the next week. and if this be the
case Admiral Walker probably will be
able. before the day set for his sailing, to
get an accurate understa nding of what is
necessary to be done by American naval
forces in the seal waters. If the condi-
ti0ns seem to warrant such course, ir
will be possible to change the admiraPs
order and send him north to Bering Sea
instead of 10 Hawaii.
A cabIegram from the British Foreign
Office is anxiously awaited by the State
Department giving the assent of her
Majesty's Government to the re-es ablisb-
meBt of the modus vivendi governing
Bering Sea matters. The cablegram was
looked for up to midnight last night, and
the failure to receive it can be accounted
for only on the supposition thatthe English
Easter holidays cover Monday, which is a
bank and Cover nment holiday.
The cablegram is regarded as most i'm
portant, not only as determining the rules
for the sealing season about TO open, but
as showing Great Brtain's willingness TO
carry out the spirit of the ruling of the
court of arbitration. 1t has become evI-
dent that the arbitration courts decree
could not be enacted into law by Congress
and by Parliament in time to control the
sealing season opening about thirty DAYS
hence, and the State Department has felt
it to be imperative that temporary ar
rangement be made with Great Britain,