The record-union., 1897-07-06
President Mckinley Addresses a Sharp Note
to Salisbury.
Likely to Cause as Much of a SEN
Did Secretary O1ney's Dispatch
Informing England That She
Must Arbitrate the Venezuela
Boundary Dispute.


"Times- Herald" from Washington
says:
president Mckinley has sent dis
patch to the Marquis of Salisbury. the
British Premier and Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs, which will proba-
bly, cause that nobleman as much per-
turbation of spirit as did Secretary Oh
ney's dispatch of July 20, 1895, in
which England was automatically but
firmly told that she must arbitrate the
Venezuela boundary dispute.
'"The Presidents dispatch will doubt
less be regarded in England as Of
fensive in tone and manner, and it's
publication will probably cause a dis
play of feeling across the water, but
in the United States Mr. McKinley's
course will doubtless be warmly ap-
proved.
"The latest diplomatic fencing be-
tween the two countries arises out of
the long standing seal controversy. It
will be remembered that after this
country had asserted exclusive juris-
diction to the waters of Behring Sea
and Great Britain had resisted this con-
tention the matter was referred to a
Paris. That tribunal decided against
the United States, so far as it related
to its contention of exclusive juris-
diction; decided that certain seizures
of British sealers made by the Amer
lean patrol fleet were illegal and
awarded damages to the owners of
those vessels, the amount to be deter
mined later by sufficient proof. and
made certain regulation for the preser-
walton of seal herds and the prevention
of illegal sealing which were to be
Jointly enforced by the United States
and Great Britain. The United States
on its part proceeded in the fullest
spirit and letter of the law to prevent
pelagic sealing, but England, it is as
serted, has not lived up to its agree
ment, and intimation to that effect is
now conveyed to the British Govern
ment by order of President Mckinley.
''In the course of a few days, perhaps
early this week, the President Will
transmit to Congress batch of COR
respondence bearing on this question
which has recently passed between the
two Governments. The correspondence
is somewhat vOluminouS, the most I'M
portant dispatch bearing date OF May
10th last, and being in the form or an
instruction from Secretary of State
sherman to Colonel John Hay, our En-
bassador in London, a copy of which
Colonel Hay was directed to leave with
Lord Salisbury.
sIn this instruction, which covers six
or EIGHT pages of the usual State De-
nartment size, the effort made by the
Craat Rrit3ln to
carry out the terms of the Paris award
are reviewed at length, and, While 1t is
claimed that this country has lived up
to the terms Of the findings OF that
tribunal the insinuation is made that
Great Britain has been guilty OF pao
faith.
"The dispatch is nominally signed by
Mr. Sherman as Secretary OF State,
but as a matter of fact is the joint
work of ex-Secretary of State John
w. Foster the special seal Empassa-
dor. and ex-Secretary of treasury
Charles s. Hamlin, the special seal
Commissioner. 1t received the sanction
and APPROVAL of President Mckinney
before it was permitted to leave the
Department of state
.tAlthoueh the dispatch was received
hv Lord Salisbury early in May with
tho exception of a formal acknoWleos-
n,ent of it's receipt, no answer has
vat been made by the Foreign once.
No EXHIBITION OF ILL-FEELING.
WASHINGTON, July 5.-The fact
that the State Department is preparing
for transmission to Congress the cor
resnondence that it has had since the
Rahring Sea seal fisheries appears 10
have been construed in some quarters,
and by the London Chronicle, as an
indication of a purpose on the part
of our Government to make a fadlcai
change in it's policy in the treatment OF
that long standing diplomatic issue,
and TO seize on this opportunity to an
nounce its adoption of bold Amerl-
can policy"
The truth is that this particular cor
respondence was called for by Con-
eress weeks ago, and has been delayed
in transmission principally because Mr..
Foster. who conducted personally the
greater part of it, in conjunction with
Mr. Hamlin, was absent in Europe.
Now. however, it is in shape, and prob
ably will go to Congress this week.
+ can be stated that it will not show
any change in the policy of this Gov
ernment. which has, ever since the first
wears experience, after the Paris award
regulations, showed the inefficiency of
those regulations to protect the seals,
lost no opportunity to urge an extern
sion of the rules upon Great Britain.
This has been done courteously at all
times. and Great Britain has responded
in like spirit, though, to the regret of
our Government, without consenting to
the notifications desired.
= There have been some remonstrances
exchanged; for instance, the British
have protested against what they
termed the abuse of the right of search
on the part of our patrol vessels, and
on our part the British have been told
that their refusal to permit the sealing
up of firearms carried by sealers
amounted to an evasion of the Paris
award. But in all this there has been
no exhibition of ill-feeling or anything
like jingoism on our part, and while
the recent success of Mr.. Foster in
securing the adhesion of Russia to the
extension of the regulations over the