The Portland daily press., 1897-08-28
PORTLAND MEN.
Their Duties Begin on Bering Sea Com
mission.

AT Halifax, N. s., on Wednesday the
Boring Sea commission opened its session.
The sitting was held in the handsome
and historic chamber of the legislative
council, where temporary bench had
been erected for the judges.
The commission assembled without
formality. A large number of spectators
were present, including many members
OF the local bar also Mrs. Dickinson,
wife of the American counsel, and her
friend Mrs. Russell; Mrs. Lansing, wife
of Counsel L. R. ". Lansing; Miss
Bodwell, sister of f. V. Bodwell; Mrs.
Beique, wife of f. L. Beique, Montreal;
Mrs. Turnbull, Miss Bryce and Miss
Wood
Previous to the appearance of Judges
King and Putnam the counsel and secre-
taries chatted pleasantly with one another
on the floors of the chamber, apparently
undisturbed by the thought of the
weighty international matters they were
met to discuss.
AT eleven O'Clock Mr.. Justice King and
Judge Putnam took their seats on the
extelnpore bench. There were present on
behalf of Great Britain-Frederick Peters,
w ny VI L t1llCG ItlMdEu ISldnQ, L. L.
BeIque, Montreal; E. V. Bowel, Vic
toria, B. c., and Sir Charles HILBERT
upper, representing the owners of Cana
dian vessels; on behalf of the United
States-Hon. Don. NJ. Dickinson, De-
troit; L. Il. W. Lansing, Waterfowl, N
Y, and Charles B. Warren, Detroit.
Ar. Justice King announced that W.
B. Wallace, barrister, of Halifax, had
been appointed one of the clerks to the
commission.
At the request of Mr.. Justice King Mr.
Peters stated that the counsel had agreed
| that the sessions of the commission would
be from II to 1 and from q 30 to 4.30. The
commission concurred that the hours of
| sitting should be as stated.
Judge Putnam said that, as to the num-
Der of counsel to be heard on each side,
| the commission would leave that to the
counsel themselves
Judge Putnam then asked the counsel
| to proceed with the argument.
Mr.. Peters said that the counsel pro-
posed to divide the argument on behalf
of Great Britain into two parts and that
| each of the British counsel would take up
@ different phase of the subject. In that
way he hoped TO facilitate the business Of
the commission. But as some of the
British counsel had just arrived in the
city, and had little time to confer with
their associates, he would ask for an ad-
Mr.. Dickinson said that the United
States counsel could say nothing as to
the number of British counsel and as to
the division of the argument he could
make no statement until that was made
For the present the United States counsel
must remain AT rest but ready As
the British counsel had never asked any,
thing out of the way during the commits
sion, he would have no objection to ac-
cede to the request of Mr.. Peters.
Mr.. Justice King said that the commits
sion would therefore adjourn until Friday
morning at II o'clock, with the under
standing that they would sit on Saturday
as in Victoria.
Judge King stated that Thomas P.
Owens, Of the Hansard staff, Ottawa, had
| been made chief clerk of the commission,
ana W. B. Wallace second clerk and
| stenographer.
Mr.. Dickinson on behalf of the United
States counsel expressed thanks to the
| provincial government for the handsome
| and commodious chamber placed at their
disposal. Mr.. Peters also expressed the
| thanks of the Canadian counsel, and
Judge Putnam on behalf of himself and
his associate rendered thanks for the kind
| ness of the government in providing
such splendid accommodation, which,
however, was no more than he expected
from the hospitality of Nova Scotia.
The commission then adjourned.
The official reporting in connection
undertaken by Mr.. Owens, of the Ham
sard staff, Ottawa; Mr.. Small, of Port
land, Maine; Mr. Clay, another United
States reporter, and Mr.. W. B. Wallace,
of Halifax, who was appointed official
stenographer by Judges King and Put
nam in substitution of Mr.. McInnes, of
Victoria, B. c., who failed to arrive.