Norwich bulletin., 1912-12-04

terms of submission have been agreed upon by the two governments and, to- gether with the special agreement, were approved by the senate on July 19, 1911. but in accordance with the terms of the agreement they did not go into effect until confirmed by the two gov ernments by an exchange of notes, which was done on April 26 last.
 Negotiations are still in progress for a supplemental schedule of claims to fe submitted to arbitration under this agreement, and meanwhile the neces- sary preparations for the arbitration of the claims included in the first schedule have been undertaken and are being carried on under the authority of m appropriation made for that purpose 1t the last session of congress. It is anticipated that the two governments will be prepared to call upon the ar bitration tribunal, established under this agreement, to meet at Washington early next year to proceed with this ar bitration.
 Fur Seal Treaty and Need For Amend
 ment of Our Statute.
 The act adopted at the last session of congress to give effect to the fur seal convention of July ', 1911, between Great Britain, Japan, Russia and the hn c1Ic. pension of all land killing of seals on the Pribilof islands for a period of five years, and an objection has now been presented to this provision by the other parties in interest, which raises the issue as to whether or not this prohibition Of land killing is inconsist- eut with the spirit if not the letter of the treaty stipulations. The justi6ca- tion for establishing this close season depends, under the terms of the con vention, upon how far if at all 1t is necessary for protecting and preserv- Ing the American fur seal herd and for increasing it's number. This is ques- ton requiring examination of the pres snt condition of the herd and the treat ment which it needs in the light of actual experience and scientific inveS- tigatiOn.
 4 careful examination of the sub ject Is now being made, and this gov ernment will soon be in possession of ( considerable amount of new informa- tion about the American seal herd, which has been secured during the past season and will be of great value in determining this question, and if it should appear that there is any un- certainty as to the real necessity for imposing a close season at this time l shall take an early opportunity to on this subject, in the belief that this government should yield on this point rather than give the slightest ground for the charge that we have been in any way remiss in observing our treaty obligations.
 Final Settlement of North Atlantic
 Fisheries Dispute.
 On tho 20th of July last an agree ment was concluded between the Unit cd States and Great Britain adopting, with certain notifications, the rules and method of procedure recommend ed in tho award rendered by the North Atlantic coast fisheries arbitration tri- bunal on Sept ', 1910, for the settle rnent horeafter, In accordance with the principles laid down in the award, of questions arising with reference to the exercise of the American fishing liberties under Article I of the treaty of Oct. 90, 1918, between the United States aad Great Britain. This agree nent received the approval of the sen- ate on Aug. 1 and was formally rati- fled by the two governments on Nov. 15 last.
 The rules and a method of procedure embodied fin the award provided for determining by an impartial tribunal the reasonableness of any new fishery regulations on the treaty coasts of Newfoundland and Canada before such regulations could be enforced against Americaa fishermen exercising their treaty liberties on those coasts and also for determining the delimitation of bays on such coasts more than ten miles wide, in accordance with the definition adopted by the tribunal of the Weaning of the word "bays" as used in the treaty.
 In the subsequent negotiations be- tween the two governments, under taken for the purpose of giving prac- dc@ efN6ct to these rules and meth ode of procedure, 1t was found that @A6sain notifications therein were de- Mn9ble fFem the point of view of both governments, and these negotiations have finally resulted in the agreement above mentioned by which the award recommendations as modified by mu- tual consent of the two governments are finally adopted and made effective, thus bringing this century-old contro- versy to a final conclusion, which is equally beneficial and satisfactory to both governments
 Imperial Valley and Mexico.
 In order to make possible the more effective performance of the work ne- cessary for the confinement in their present channel of the waters of the lower Colorado river and thus to pro. tect the people of the Imperial valley; as well as in order to reach with the government of Mexico an understand ing regarding the distribution of the waters of the Colorado river, in which both governments are much interested negotiations are going forward with a view to the tablishmeDt of a pre- hminary Colorado river commission, which shall have the powers necessary to enable it to do the needful work and with authority to study the ques- ton of the equitable distribution of the waters. There is every reason to