New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-29
ANEW SEALING AGREEMENT
nrc1sION REACHED AT THE CONFER
ENCE IN WASHINGTON.
.,r PLAN SAID TO PROVIDE FOR THE LIMI-
-,r1ox OR ENTIRE sToPPAGE OF PEI.AGIC
sr.1JNG-LITTLE DOUBT THAT
RUSSIA AND JAPAN

WILL CONSENT.
o-s,,reton oct 2S--It is said on trust
,hy authority that the conference between
,,,,ssia Japan and the United States now pro-
a,,g here in reference to sealing in Behrng
cao and the North Pacific has advanced 10 an
,nnortant stage, and that a proposition has
hoen reduced to writing which. If accepted. will
hiring about a complete change in the sealing
question. The proposition is said to be accept
able TO the United States. 1t is understood 10
-, accountable also TO the Russian delegates.
hut IN view OF the restrictions placed them
nv their credentials It has been thought desr-
ohio IN cable to 81 Petersburg for final in
sructions
The japanese delegates are understood to have
felt at first that the proposition would not be
10 their interest. but after fuller conference Mr.
Fujita determined 10 cable the substance OF the
proposition to his Government. accompanying 1t
with a recommendation tina. 1t be accepted
Little doubt is entertained that Russia will &C
cept the proposition. and in view Of Mr. Fujita's
recommendation II is believed that Japan will
also Join in It,
TO STOP PELAG1C SEALING.
The greatest secrecy is preserved in official
circles as to the nature of the proposition and 1t
Is not officially ad nitted that any proposition
has been made From equally trustworthy
sources II IS understood that the proposition
has a far-reaching scope and provides for the
material limitation or entire suspension Of
pelagic sealing or sealing the high seas
Such a decisive step. If agreed to by Russia,
Japan and the United States, would. 1t is
derstood. not involve any concerted move to
menace the claims of Great Britain and Canada
10 the right Of pelagic sealing the high seas
but would rather be a proposition expressing
the conclusions OF the three Powers most in
terested that, in the interests Of humanity and
the preservation Of the seal herds Of their re-
spective Governments. all nations, including
Great Britain and her colony. Canada. should
unite with Russia the United States and Japan
IN such effective prevention OF peagic sealing
on the high seas az will put an end to 1t. and
thereby secure the preservation of the seals
PROCEEDINGS IN THE CONFERENCE.
The deliberations Of the conferrees leading up
70 the proposition were productive Of numerous
interesting and important features. All the
delegates were under a pledge OF secrecy. and
they have maintained this with the greatest
care 1t became evident at the outset that the
United States and Russia prepared to go
further than Japan. At all times there was
the most cordial sentiment among the confer
rees and a general desire to reach common
ground Of understanding
In the case OF Russia. II developed that her
action was controlled to some extent by
modus vivendi made between Great Britain and
Russia about the time the Paris Court Of Arbi-
tration was in session. and covering the course
Of these two countries concerning the fur seals
on Russian islands and surrounding waters.
Little had been known Of this modus until the
conference met. Under 1t of neutral
Eater is established thirty miles wide surround
ing the Russian islands. within which Great
Britain agreed TO suspend pelagic sealing
RUSSIA ACTING WITH THIS COUNTRY
While this was Of material advantage to Rus
sa. yet it felt that any proposition for the
entire suspension Of pelagc sealing even beyond
thirty miles would have TO be reconcled with
the modus v!vend 1t thought that this
could be done, the modus vivend was not
continuing agreement. but was from year TO
year. depending for its existence on annual re-
adoption by the British Parliament. The last
act OF Parliament carried the modus vvendi up
December 81 next. 1t was clearly the de-
sire Of the Russian delegates to secure the larg
est possible protection for her fur seals. and
this established throughout the deliberations
close cooperation between the United States
and Russia
AS 10 Japan. II not so clear that her in
terests for further restrictions on pelagc
scaling On the contrary one ot the Japanese
delegates made 1t clear that Japan had
interest in catching seals than in preserving
them 1t also appeared that Japan no longer
had any fur seals. although her possessions
Of sea offers, an animal like the seals. were
siderable. When JaDan's attitude was thus
defined the general feeling within the
ference that the United States and Russia
were united in the view of protecting the seals
by energetic measures. while Great Britain and
Japan occupied substantially the opposite po
stiOn.
JAPANESE DELEGATES WON OVER
Owing to Japan's view Of the subject. the
opinion Of the seal experts was laid before the
Japanese delegates. This opinion to the
effect that while Japans seal possessions
little or nothing at the present time. yet by
adequate protection her decimated roOkeries
would be restored and large seal property
built up. In the view of the experts, Japan's
present interest in killing the seals would be
more than offset in time by the interests she
would acquire by full protection Of them This
expert view appears TO have been convincing
TO the Japanese delegates, for as already
stated Mr.. Fujta not only cabled the final
proposition to Japan. but accompanied 1t with
his favorable recommendation The conferrees
being thus agreed. 1t only remained 70 hear
from the governments they represented. An
adjournment accordingly taken until next
Monday, by which time 1t is believed that the
governments at st. Petersburg and Toxic Will
have taken final action on the proposition
TO REGARD THE RIGHTS OF ENGLAND.
Throughout the deliberations there no evil
dence OF desire to make issue with Great
Britain. or to take any action offensive in char
acter or likely summary to abridge her rights
II was recognized by the conferrees that as the
high seas were governed by well-estabshed
rules Of international law, no step should be
taken in limiting pelagic sealing without en-
deavoring to secure the cooperation Of all the
countries concerned. particularly Great Britain
Instead. therefore, of the proposition taking the
form OF a decisive movement BY the three Gov
ernments in opposition to Great Britain it was
framed on the theory that the three Powers