Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-17
Negotiations Between the United
States and Canada.
GEN. F0SrEf's OFFICIAL STATEMENT
A Victory for Our Contention as to
;, PeIagic Sealing.
INTEREST," IN THE FUTURE

The negotiations between the United
States and Canada for the settlement OF
pending questions are still in progress, not
withstanding published reports that the
meeting of diplomatic representatives OF
Great Britain, Canada and the. United
States had resulted in complete failure.
The statements that the final diplomatic
meeting had been characterized by the ut
most good feeling, and that an understand
ing had been reached that the Canadians,
after returning to Ottowa. would submit
their views in writing, were today official
ly confirmed in every particular The in-
teresting additional fact was made known
for the first time that the Canadians had
taken the American proposition under adj
visement, and had given assurances that
it would be submitted to the privy council
of Canada, and definite answer then
given. This, and the additional fact that
the Canadian propos .tion is to include in
any settlement other questions than the
Boring sea matter, constitute the entire
status of the negotiations up to the close
of the diplomatic meeting, and they will
now proceed by correspondence between
Washington, LoIidon and Ottawa. In view,
however, of the published reports of the
complete failure of the meetings. General
Foster today made the following official
statement:
Mr.. Fosters Statement.
The representa- iveS OF both the Un1ted
States and Canada, who participated in the
seal conference on yesterday at the resi-
dence of Mr.. Foster, deny that they have
stated to any correspondent of the press or
other person that the negotiations have
been broken off or that an ultimatum has
been presented and rejected. On the 9th
er hand, they state that the negotiations
are still in progress.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Sir Louis and Lady
Davies and other Canadian officials
took their departure at 10 O'Clock this
morning. General Foster called upon them
before their departure, but the meeting was
not of a business character. Cordial senti-
ments were renewed in parting, and the
sentiment expressed that the negotiations
now in progress might yet have a happy
contamination for both countries.
Victory for the United states.
I The report signed by the seal experts
yesterday afternoon is. however, a vic
tory for the United States. 1t is q conces-
sion on the' very question which Great
Britain and Canada have never before ac-
knowledged. '27That is, that the pelagic
seal herd1l The Canadians have always
commended that it did no harm to let the
seal catciiing, go on as now pursued. and
that thets WIS no need for hurrying an
States. oile the other hand L. has contended d
that the pelagt sealing has been injurious,
and that Something must be done to stop
it, or it will. Snd in determination. The
Caradians in their negotiations for reci-
prccity and other things have held that
the seals coufd wait until all questions
were settled, but to prove their arguments
fallacious their experts, have signed re-
and has literally taken the only argument
Of the cafadiaus AWAY from Them.
.,. -t,T9 Govern Seal Hunters.
Some interest, naturally attaches to the
coalitions that win govern the seal hunters
in the futura.. sHPposing that no arrange
ments is arrived, alto between the United
States and Great Britain for further meas
Cres of protection In the absence of an
official statement en- the subject.
swer appears to be afforded by the Ian
gUagt of the award made by the Paris ar
bitration tribunal. That body. having in
terms decided that the United States had
no right of protection or property in the
fur seals In Boring Sea beyond the three
mile limit from the shores of the seal
Islands. laid down a set of regulations for
the guidance of both parties to the agree
ment,i prescribing the conditions under
which seals might be taken in the waters
of the North Pacific and Boring sea. These
are the regulations that govern today en-
larged as they have been by mutual agree
ment' 1t is provided In the award as fol-
lows: THE concurrent regulations hereby
deteNDfnedi with agView to the protection
and preservation Of the fur seals shall re-
main In force until they have been in whole
or in part. abolished or modified by common
agreement between the governments of the
United States and of Great Britain. The
said concurrent regulations shall be SUBJ
mitted every five years to new examina-
ton, SO as to cradle both interested gov
ernments to consider whether in the light
of past experience there is occasion for
any modification thereof"
This first term of five years expires about
the time the seal season closes next year,
and it Is fair assumption, from the Ian
guage Of the award, that failing an agree
ment on further regulations. those now in
force will continue to run.