The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-18
THE SEAL FISHERIES.
Publication of the Recent COrre-
spOndence ON the Subject.

Publication OF the Hecent COrre-
spOndence on the Subject.
London, Sept 1S.-The Times this morn,
ing publishes the gist of the correspond
ence between Secretary Sherman and Lord
Salisbury in the Bering sea controversy.
The book covers a period beginning
with 1895, and ending with July 80 of the
present year. Altogether, there are 107
dispatches, which show that the United
States has pressed for revision since Jan
uary, 1895.
The Times remarks Though Mr.. Sher-
man so far forgot himself as to sign the
famous dispatch, we cannot suppose that
he actually wrote it," On the concluding
paragraph of the dispatch is published
all the terms deemed discoUrteous being
omitted.
A long letter from the colonial Office
to the foreign office, signed Edward Wing
field, deals with Mr.. Sherman's dispatch
in detail In this document, which was
prepared by Mr.. Chamberlain, the latter
points out that Mr.. Sherman's contention
that the determination of fur bearing
seals has been practically accomplished,
cannot have come to pass, as in that case
there would be nothing at all to form the
subject matter of negotiation. The docu-
ment proceeds:
Lord Salisbury pointed out in May that
the English interest had for some years
exceeded the American in the fur sealing
industry. 1t cannot therefore, be for the
advantage of the British government, or
those whom it represents, that the seals
should be exterminated. The dispatch eX-
plains that the object of the conference is
to arrive, If possible, at correct conclu-
sions respecting the numbers conditions
and habits of the seals frequenting the
Pribyloff Island at the present time, as
compared with several seasons previous
to and subsequent to the Paris award.
But it must be clearly understood that
this limited inquiry does not involve an
assent 10 Mr.. Sherman's strange miscon-
cephons, MIR. Chamberlain contends that
Great Britain has taken adequate meas
ures much more complete in some direc-
tons than those adopted by the United
States for securing the enforcement of
the Paris regulations, and says 1t was
never intended by the tribunal of arbitra-
ton that 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 lnspec-
ton of skins.
The British government, he asserts, has
performed witiaHhe utmost rigor all the
requirements of the award but it has had
to make continual unayailing protests
against the attempts of the United states
to hamper and embarrass the operations of
British subjects pursuing their lawful vo-
cations"
'But the fact" continues Mr.. Chamber
lain, chat in spite of these embarrass-
ments, British sealers have been able to
prosecute the industry successfully, has
led to continual efforts 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 dispatch concludes
as follows:
'SThe government has never argued that
the regulations are perfect; but it has
maintained that before they can be scien-
tlfcally revised, accurate information as
to the Increase or decrease of the herd
must be made available. Such informa
ton is only obtainable by accurate obser-
vations exending over a period sufficient
to enable accidental circumstances to be
eliminated. AS soon as that is at hand
the government is ready to enter upon
discussion of the question in the impair
tial and friendly spirit with which the
government can confidently claim 1t has
acted throughout the entire controversy"