Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-11
SEAL EXPERTS MEET,
Conference Now Going on That
May Definitely Decide a
Very vexsd Question.
RESTS LARGELY WITH THREE NIH

II They Agree on . Plan to Protect the
Herds the Principals to the Dispute VIII
Proceed to Nceot.ate-Reciprocit Etc.,
Meanwhile Takes y Rack seat-spanish
Editor and Publicist st washington
Talks Of Cuba and Autonomy-No Arbi-
tratisn with Peru.
washington, Nov. 11.-In accordance
with the arrangements the experts rep
resenting the three governments-the
United States. England and Canada
assembled at the state department about
half-past o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The exper.st were respectively Messrs.
Jordan, Thompson and Macoun. In sd
dition Colonel Foster and Mr.. Hamlin
were in attendance for the United States
and Sir Louis Davies for Canada. Sir
Julian Pauncefote sent q note excusing
himself from coming on account Of i'll
ness The meeting lasted for about an
hour, and presumably the proceedings
We're mainly preliminary and
designed to outline q plan of pro-
cedure. Hamlin was elected chairman.
II was officially stated that the proceed
inSs were secret in the sense that moth
ing could lie given out for publicantion
before the end Of the deliberations. An
other meeting will be held at II o'clock
this morning. The feature Of the seal
treaty negotiated with Russia and ia
pan Is said TO be the short time it is to
continue in force, the limit being one
year.
IauriervSot To He Interviewed,
The Canadian premier received callers
In very democratic fashion at his apart
ments In the Shcreham, but to all he
gave the reply that It would be mani
festly premature at this stage fer him
to discuss the outlook on the Behring
sea question or any other subjects which
| concern the United States and Canada.
He and Sir Louis Davies desired first to
| communicate with the seal experts of
the United States and Great Britain be-
fore indicating any course of action He
made II clear. also. that they would give
their exclusive attention to this subject
| until some conclusion was reached. and
that other questions. such as reciprocity.
border immigration. etc. would not be
referred to until the first purpose Of the
visit was accomplished. 1t was stated
that the official purpose OF the visit was
to consider the Bshrjng sea matter, and
that future circumstances would de-
velop how far other questions would be
opeIed to consideration.
Britain and the Silver Iavoys.
erna<us ils1Asr aimee his return has
been extremely reticent about his reoen.
trip abroad, and refuses to see members
OF the press. The Commission of which
he Is chairman will make a report to thc
executive. This report will be accom-
panied blythe correspondence which ha.
been had with the governments with
whom the commission has been nego-
thting. Wolcott is not yet without hope
OF success and has explained how neal
the commission was to bringing about 8
favorable reply. wolcott said that wher
everything was going along nicely, ant
II seemed as IL the British cabinet would
go as far as had been promised-reopen.
Shg the Indian mints and consenting tc
a conference.-the press of Grsa. Britain
and the bankers Of London criticised the
cabinet so severely that 1t was com.
PEELED to take course contrary to wha'
the commission had expected.