The record-union., 1899-10-25
Are Now Likely to be Satisfactorily Ad-
juSted In the Near Future.
They Grew Out of the Seizure OF
Three American Vessels in Beh-
ring Sea, for Which Claims for
Damages Amounting to One
Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars Had Been Demanded.

| r LOANDON, OcL. =t.-fuSSld, II mas
been learned by the Associated Press.
has at last agreed to arbitrate with the
United States the claims resulting from
the seizure of sealers in the Bering Sea,
which have been pending for about
eight years. A protocol between the
two Governments has been drawn up
and the final formalities are expected
to be concluded next month, and the
arbitration Will probably take the
form of the Venezuelan Court
Russia's agreement to arbitrator her
Bering Sea claims is a source of great
satisfaction to the United States EN-
| bassador to Russia, Charlemagne Tow
| er, who is stopping in London on his
way to st. Petersburg. He said to q
representative of the Associated Press:
The relations between Russia and
the United States were never more
close or friendly than to-day. The
only difference existing between the
two nations is now sure of settlement
on lines similar to the Venezuela arbi-
tration. l return to ST. Petersburg on
Saturday, and the finishing touches will
/ then be put ON the agreement"
! Mr.. Tower was questioned on the
subject of the publication of the rumor
that Russia intends to take a hand in
the Transvaal by aggression on Brit
ish territory. He said: Naturally
| 1t is impossible for me to- speak of
Russia's policy toward Great Britain.
even if knew anything; but L can say
most emphatically that Russia's atti-
tude toward the United States is not
preJuddced by our friendship for Great
| Britain
| 1t was inferred that Mr.. Tower did
not put much faith in the reports of
the Franco Russian active alliance
against Great Britain.
Another American diplomat said to a
representative of the Associated Press:
Inc Importance of getting Russia to
arbitrate these claims is greater than
the material amount indicates. Ere
quent efforts have been made to this
end. But MIR. Tower has achieved
what others had to give up despairing-
ly. This is practical evidence of the
friendly relations between. Russia and
the United States and completely re-
futes the claims of those who have
maintained that we have engendered
Europe's hatred by our close relations
with England"
HOW THE CLAIMS ORIGINATED.
! WASHINGTON, Oct. 24-These
claims originated in the seizure by the
russian authorities off the coast of
Siberia Of three AmericanL sailing ves-
sells, and the damage claimed aggre-
gated about $160000. The vessels
were the James Hamilton Lewis, the
cape Horn Pigeon and the G. il.
| White. In each case the largest item
of the claim is on account of the suf-
ferings of the American officers and
crews while under arrest.
! The cases differ from those claims
presented by British sealers which were
settled by the Bering Sea arbitration.
in the fact that while the British ves-
sells We're seized by the American rev.
nue. cutter on what the arbitrators de-
clared to be the high seas, the Russian
men-ofwar seized these American
sealers within seven miles Of the Asiatic
coast
1t is a matter Of interest that for the
first time the Russian Government con
tends that marine Jurisdiction Of a
country extends at least this distance
from the shore, instead of being linn
tied to a marine league, as laid down
by the older writers on international
/ originally
because 1t represented the extreme dis
tance from shore that a ship could be
thrown by one of the old cannon used
In the coast defense, and the Russians
held that the limit should be extended
10 correspond to the increased range OF
modern ordnance
The protocol through which the ar
pltration was arranged was prepared
In st. Petersburg by United States Min
lister Tower and the Russian Foreign
Office. 1t was agreed by the parties
that there should be but one arbitrator.
and the person selected for that post
is Mr.. Asser a celebrated Dutch 1urist.
VINO took prominent part in The
Hague conference. The case will be
submitted to him just as soon as the
papers can be prepared at the State De-
partment.