The herald., 1897-09-18
SEALING
QUESTION
AS Viewed From the Brit
ish Standpoint
Mr.. SHERMAN'S DISCOURTESY
Mr.. SHERMAN'S DISCOURTESY
DOES NOT CALL FOR LENGTHY
COMMENT
British Foreign Office Wants More
Information Before Discussing
Changes in Regulations
Press Special Wire,

Associated Press Special Wire.
LONDON, Sept. 1S.-The Times this
morning publishes the gist of the corre-
spondence between Secretary Sherman
and Lord Salisbury in the Bering sea
controversy. The book covers period
beginning with 1895 and ending with
July 30 of the present year.
Altogether there are twerty-seven dis
patches which show that the United
States has pressed for revision since
January, 1895.
The Times remarks: Though Mr..
Sherman so far forgot himself as to
sign the famous dispatch, we cannot
suppose that he actually wrote it,"
Only the concluding paragraph Of the
dispatch is republished, all the terms
deemed discourteous being omitted.
The Times then adds: Lord Sails
bury wisely refrained from answering
the dispatch in detail. He confined him
self to imparting the short note to AM
bassador Hay, dated July 2Sth, 1897,
stating that the government was will
Ing to agree to meeting Of the experts
in October, preferably in Washington,
and that other portions of Mr. Sher-
mans dispatch, in 80 far as they re-
quired any reply from her majesty's
government, had been answered by an
ticipation in dispatches he Nord Sails
bury) had addressed to Sir Julian
Pauncefote on April 22d and May 7th,
which had been communicated to the
government of the United States On
July 26th."
In long letter from the colonial office
to the foreign office, signed Edward
Wirgfeld, occupying four columns OF
small print the Times deals with Mr..
Sherman's dispatch in detail.
In this document, which is prepared by
Mr., Chamberlain, the letter points out
that Mr.. Sherman's contention that the
determination of fur-bearing seals had
been practically accomplished cannot
have come to pass, as in. that case there
would be nothing at all to form the sub
ject matter Of negotiations.
The document proceeds: Lord Sails
bury pointed out in May that the Eng
lish interests had for some years ex-
ceeded the American In the fur sealing
industry. 1t cannot, therefore, be for
the advantage of the British govern
ment or those whom it represents that
the seals should be exterminated.
Mr.. Chamberlain contends that Great
Britain has taken definite measures.
much more complete in some directions
than those adopted by the United States.
for securing the enforcement OF the
Paris regulations, and says it was never
intended by the tribunal Of arbitration
that the United States officers should be
given the power of supervising and con-
trolling the action of British naval and
customs officers with regard to the in
spection of skins.
The British government, he asserts,
has performed with the utmost rigor all
the requirements of the awards, but it
has had to make continual unavailing
protests against the attempts of the
United States to hamper and embarrass
the operations of British subjects pur-
suing their lawful vocation. But the
fact" continues Mr.. Chamberlain, that
in spite of these embarrassments Brit
ish sealers have been unable to prosecute
the industry successfully has led to con-
tinued effort by the United States to
obtain such further regulations as would
effectively prevent that result without
regard to the objects of the award"
The colonial office concludes as fol-
lows 1.-The government has never argued
that the regulations are perfect but IL
has maintained that, before they can
be revised, accurate information as to
the increase or decrease of the herd must
be made available. Such Information is
only obtanable by accurate observation
extending over a period sufficient to en-
able accidental circumstances to be elm
mated. AS soon as that is al hand, the
government is ready to enter upon a
discussion of the question in the impair
tial and friendly spirit, with which the
government can cofidently claim it has
acted throughout the entire contro
versy."