Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-04

/ Unforeseen conditions. and are CONFRONTED
! by the necessity of retirement from q
field thus made Improbable. II. indeed
they are not summariy expelled, as some
Of them have lately been from Prussia'
LEX TALIONIs.
1t is not to be forgotten that interna.
tiOnal trade cannot be one-slded. Its
| currents are alternating. and its move
ments should be honestly reciprocal
/ Without this II almost necessarily de-
/ generates into a device TO gain advantage
/ or a contrvancc TO secure benefits, win
/ only the semblance Of a return. IN cur
dealings with other nations. We ocgh'
! 10 be open-handed and scrupulously fair.
! This should be our policy as producing
nation, and II plainly becomes US as
people who love generosity and tc moral
/ aspects Of national good faitn ana re-
/ ciprOcal f0rbearance.
These considerations should not, how
/ ever constrain US to submit to unfair
/ discriminaticn. nor 10 silently acquisscl
| ia vexatious hindrances 10 the enjoyment
| Of our share Of the legitimate advan.
tages of proper trade relations. u an
examination OF the situation apggos,a
such measures on our part as wOu'I
/ involve restrictions similar 20 those from
which we suffer. the way to such a course
/ is easy. II should. however. by ID mcanI
/ be lightly entered upon, since the recessi-
ty for the inauguration OF such a policy
would be regretted by the best sentiment
Of our people. and because Il naturally
and logically might lead TO consequence,
/ OF the gravest character.
! take pleasure in calling TO your at
| tention the encomiums bestowed on those
vessels OF our new navy. which tool,
| part in the noble ceremony Of tho openin.
/ Of the Kiel canal II was fitting that
this extraordinary achievement Of fhe
newer German nationality should be cele-
brated in the presence Of Americas eN-
position Of the latest developments Of the
worlds naval energy.
BERING-sEA QUESTION.
our relations with Great Britain. always
intimate and important. have demanded
during the past year even greater share
Of consideration than Is usual
Several vexatious questions were left
undetermined by the decision Of the
Bering-Sea arbitration tribunal. The APP
plication Of the principles laid down by
that august body has not been followed
by the results they were intended TO
accomplish. either because their execu-
tion has been more or less imperfect, or
for other reason.
Much correspondence has been ex-
changed between the two governments on
the subject OF preventing the extermi-
mating slaughter Of seals Insufiiciency
Of the British patrol Of Berne Sea. under
the regulations agreed on by the two
governments, has been pointed out, and
yet only two British ships have been on
police duty during this season in those
waters
The need Of a more effective enforce
ment of existing regulations. as well as
the adoption Of such additional regula-
tions as experience has shown TO be alb
sOluteiy necessary 20 carry out the in-
tent Of the award. have been earnestly
urged upon the British Government, but
thus far without effective resvits In the
mean time the depletion Of the seal herds
by means of pelagic hunting has so
alarmingly progressed that unless their
slaughter IS at once effectively checked
their extinction within few years seems
to be a matter of absolute certainty.
The understanding by which the United
States was to pay and Great Britain 10
receive a lump sum Of $4,000 in full set
tlement of all British claims for dam
ages arising from our seizure Of British
sealing vessels unauthorized under the
award Of the Paris tribunal Of arbitra-
ton, was not confirmed by the last Con-
gress. which declined 10 make the neCes-
sary appropriation. ! am still Of the opin-
ion that this arrangement was a iudiciOus
and advantageous one for the government
and l earnestly recommend that il be
again considered and sanctioned. If, how
ever. this does not meet with the favor
Of Congress it certainly Will hardly dis
sent from the proposition that the gov
ernment Is bound by every consideration
q nd fuffh q fnr
the speedy adjustment Of these claims boy
arbitration as the only other alternative
4 treaty Of arbitration has therefore
been agreed upon, and viii be Immediate
ly laid before the Senate. so that in one
Of the modes suggested a final settlement
may be reached.
Notwiths andlng that Great Britain orig
mated the proposal 10 enforce internation-
al rules for the prevention Of collisions al
sea. based on the recommendations Of
the marine conference at Washington
and concurred in, suggesting March !, 1865
as the date 10 be set by proclamation for
carrying these rules into general effect
her Maiestys Government having encOun-
tered opposition on the part Of British
shipping interests. announced its inability
TO accept that date which was conse-
quently cancelled The entire matter IN
still in abeyance without prospect Of a
better condition in the near future.
BOUNDARY LINES.
The commissioners appointed to mark
the international boundary in Passama-
quoddy bay. according TO the description
Of the treaty of Ghent, have not yet fully
agreed.
The completion Of the preliminary sur
vey Of that Alaskan boundary which fol-
lows the contour OF the coast from the
southernmost point Of Prince Of Wales
Island until It strikes the 14lst meridian
at or near the summit of Mt St Elias
awaits a further necessary appropriation
which is urgently recommended. This
survey was undertaken under the prOvis-
ions Of the convention entered into oy
this country and Great Britain July p
1892, and the supplementary convention
of February 3. lS4
As 10 the remaining section Of the
Alaskan boundary. which follows the 1fst
meridian, nOrthwardly, from Mount ST
Elias to the frozen ocean, the settlement
of which involves the physical location OF
the meridian mentioned, no conventional
agreemenl has yet been made. The ascer-
tainment Of a given meridian at a par
ticular point is a work requiring much
time and careful observations and sur
veys. Such observations ana surveys were
undertaken by the Jmted states coast anf
Geodeic Survey In 1880 and 1891, while
similar work in the same quarters.
under British auspices, are believed TO
give nearly coincident results. but these
surveys have been independently con-
Quoted. and no international agreement,
TO mark those or any other parts Of the
lnst meridian by permanent monuments
has yel been made. In the mean time
the valley of the Yukon Is becoming a
highway through the hitherto unexplored
wilds Of Alaska. and abundant mineral
wealth has been discovered in that
region, especially at or near the junction
OF the boundary meridian with the Yukon
and its tributaries. In these circum-
stances il is expedient, and, indeed, i'm
peratiye, that the jurisdictional limits OF
the respective governments I'm this new
.o,.inn hn snaedilV determined Her Hrl-