The San Francisco call., 1897-11-10
BERING SEA
SEAL QUESTION
Conference of the Brit
iSh, Canadian and
Americans.
Premier Laurier Will Aid the
English ambassador in
the Work.
Border hmm grafton, Interests In
the klondike and Reciprocity
Also to Be Consdered.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL
CALL OFFICE, RIGGS HOUSE,
WACuTNCroN NJ

WASHINGTON, Nov. 81
General Foster and SIR Julian Paunce-
fote conferred to-day as 10 the arrange
ments for the meeting of British, Cana
dian and American repres entatives rela-
tive to the Bering Sea. A general under.
standing was reached that the arrival to-
day of Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Canadian
Premier, and party, would permit the
meeting to open on Thursday, as to-mor-
row is likely to be given to an exchange
OF views between the Canadians and Brit
ish. The British En- bassador will ac-
company the Premier to the White House
tomorrow morning and introduce him to
the President. This will be call OF cour-
.esy, however, and IL is not expected that
any of the pending questions will be re-
ferred 10. The British Embassy has ex-
tended an invitation to Sir Wilfred Laurier
to be a guest during his stay here, but he
has determined to remain with the other
Canadian representatives at the Shore.
ham, where headquarters have been en-
gagged.
1t is now definitely settled that the COM
ing meeting will take much broader
scope than was first anticipated. At the
outset there will be a mparison of notes
between the seal experts. Mr.. Hamlin for
the United States, Professor Thompson
for Great Britain ana Professor Macoun
for Canada. The Canadian Premier and
Sir Louis Davies, Sir Julian Pauncefote
and General Foster will be present in an
unofficial capacity, ready to take up the
larger phases of the question when the
seal experts have concluded their ex-
change of technical Information. 1t is
said the relations existing between Great
Britain and Canada make it essential that
all questions OF an I'M mperial character shall
be concluded bv the direct representatives.
of the i'm perlal Government.
At the same time the presence of the
Canadian Premier is expected to assist in
reaching speedy conclusions, without the
usual delays of acting through the British
Foreign Office. The formal execution of
these conclusions would devolve entirely
on the i'm peral authorities in London
and their representative here, the British
EN- bassador.
1t was said at the State Department that
the first object would be to reach settle
ment on the Bering Sea question, and
with that out OF the way there would be
every disposition to favorable conference
on border i'm migration. Canadian Ameri-
can interests in the kiondike, reciprocity
and the other questions which Sir Wilfred
and his assoc ates regard as paramount to
the Bering Sea issne.
Sir Wilfred Laurer and party arrived
here al O'Clock to-day and took quarters
at the Shoreham. The members of the
party are: Sir Wilfred and Lady Laurier,
Sir Louis and Lady Davies MISS Ethel
Davies, Professor ]. NJ. Macoun, J. R.
Benning, r. Boud1ea and E. B. Williams.
Sir Wilfred asked to be excused TO all in
terviewers. During the evening Pro essor
Thompson, the British seal expert, called
on the Premier and his associates. The
British En- bassador and his staff will call
tomorrow, and at II O'clock the Elm bas-
sador will escort Sir Wilfred and Sir Louis
TO the White House for call of courtesy.