The times., 1898-11-29
A WHOLE SEA FOR SALE.
Project to Buy Ont Canadian Seal
ing Rights.


lean Joint High Commission; now In ses-
sion here, agree upon proposition which
was advanced while the body sat in Que
bee and is still under consideration, the
famous and one time serious controversy
over seal fisheries will be settled, for a
period Of years at least: and rBehring Sea,
that icy expanse of water which has been
the source of seemingly endless trouble,
will be closed and converted into seal
rookery
This question is perhaps the most i'm
portant and knotty with which the Can
adian and American Commissioners are
concerned, and 1t is understood that an
agreement is in a fair way of being
reached.
Briefly, the Canadians propose to sus-
pend sealing for a term of years. the ex-
act time to be decided upon by the Com
mission and close the sea, If the United
States will pay over to the Dominion gov
ernment sum of money sufficient to COW
er the prospective profits of the Canadian
seal fisheries for the number of years
agreed upon.
1t has not yet been decided whether
this Government shall buy up the Cana
dian sealing fleets. and settle the matter
in that way, or deal indirectly with the
sealers by accepting an estimate submit
ted by experts and pay into the Canadian
treasury lump sum to cover the whole
business, but in the end 1t all amounts
to the same thing, and means that this
country is to buy Canadian interests in
RAhriner Sea for "a SDpFifled number OIL
years If price can be agreed upon
While the Commission sat In Quebec
this esettlement of the controversy was
discussed at great length and appealed to
both sides of the. body as the simplest So
luton of the problem. The price to be
paid Canada for her interests in the sea
was not broached, but 1t was anticipated
that here, If anywhere, would occur the
only difficulty which might block proceed
ings and bring negotiations to Eaught
II was agreed at once that either side
of the Commission should name an ex-
pert TO appraise the value of Canada's in
terests in the Behring Sea seal fisheries,
or rather what she might expect to lose
in a given number of years by the sus-
pension of sealing. and Capt Thayer. for
America, and Capt. Cox, for the DOmin-
ion, We're chosen to conduct an investiSa-
tion, make estimates and report back to
the Commission.
The work of these two experts, which
is said to have been broad and compre-
hensive, was but recently completed. and
their reports and estimates are In the
hands of the Commission. Both men
were in the city several days ago TO de-
liver the results of their work in person
and offer such advice and counsel as
their superior familiarity with the sub
ject made possible.
h.. g1l,rnitfaI
widely at variance as to the value of
Canada's interests in the sea. and for
several DAYS the Commissioners have
been trying To agree upon price The
figures of the two experts are so very
different that for time II looked as
though the proposition would have to be
dismissed as impracticable, but il is now
said that the Commissioners are hopeful
of speedily coming to an agreement
The Canadians make no secret of their
desire to sell out. which weakens the
contentious of the diplomatic opponents
of Hon. John w Foster. than whom
there is. perhaps. no one more familiar
with the sealing question, and his asso-
ciates on the commission
IL has thus far been impossible to learn
lust how long Behring Sea will be closed.
If this sort of an arrangement is made.
but 1t will doubtless be for a longsterm
dian sealers will be barred from its wa
tiers during the time agreed upon.
Certain members of the American side
of the commission are said to be in favor
of buying Canada's claims outright in
stead of paving her for losses sustained
in the suspension OF sealing. anu exact
iag from the Dominion government an
agreement to quit the waters forever,
yielding thereby all future sealing rights
in these waters.
The Canadians, it is said. are even will
ing 10 do this. but the other proposition
is more likely to elicit Il majority vote
from the commission.
The regulations fixed by the awards of
the Paris Tribunal of Behring Sea Arbi-
tration in 1893 dividing control of the
fisheries. will expire at the close Of the
sealing season eff 1SsS. and il is necessary
that some sort of an agreement be en-
tered inter even though this business of
buying Canada out cannot be managed.
Ii is also regarded as an established fact
that unless radical measures are adopted
without delay the seals will be eXteriHi-
mated, and these two facts We're respon-
sible for the proposition made by the Ca
madam members of the commission 10
suspend sealing and thus dispose. To- tii'.
time or forever. as the case may be. ol
an unruly controversy and at the same
time protect the distant future of seal
industries.
There is one serious obstacle in the way
of such an arrangement, and that Is the
probable disapproval of Congress or at
least of the Senate. This body has. N
spite of tribunal awards and findings. sew
eral times put itself or record as main
tanning that the United States should
have exclusive control of Behring Sea
fisheries and as recently as 1896, it re-
pudiated the action of the arbitratars whl
awarded Canada nearly half million of
dollars in damages for the alleged Illegal
seizure OF Canadian sealing vessels.
II is feared that treaty providing :or
the purchase of Canadian interests in tie
sea would be opposed in the Senate. stnce
some of the old opponents of the DoE.in-
ion governments claims are still membefHs
of the upper house of Congress. not iele
among them Senator Morgan, who ws.s
on the Paris tribunal, and afterwards op
posed the award for damages, recon-
mended by Il special arbitration boa d.
There are said to be propositions before
the Canadian-American Joint High Com
mission which are as follows:
First-For Canada to dispose of its in
terest in the fisheries. including the yes
sells engaged in them. to the United States
for a consideration for a term of years or
forever.
Second-For the United States TO sell TO
Canada and withdraw from the fed.
Third-To continue the present condition
of affairs under the provisions of the
award of 1898.
Fourth-To make new regulations to
control the fisheries. beginning with the
season of 1899.
The first of these as has already been
shown is most favored by a majority of