Show THE BEHRING SEA QUESTION washington june I 1 the state department today made public the late salisbury correspondence on the behring sea matter it begins with a letter from secretary blaine to sir julian fote may ath in it he be refers to his proposition after the adjournment journ ment of congress for a modus under which no canadian sealer should be allowed to come within a certain number of miles of the bilof islands lord salisbury feared this might provoke a conflict and the president concluded to propose the suspension of sealing by both nations during the arbitration or during the season of 1891 MR MB BLAINE refers to the presidents anxiety to receive an answer before leaving for his western tour which answer he did not get the silence of lord salisbury seemed to imply that he be would not restrain the canadian sealers from entering behring sea and as all the intelligence from british columbia showed that sealers were getting ready to sail in large numbers the president found that he could not with justice prevent the lessees lessels from taking seals on the tf islands the president therefore instructed ted the secretary of the treasury to issue to the lessees lessels the privilege of taking a maximum number of sixty thousand seals this coming eject to the discretion of a special agent to limit the killing to as small numbers as the condition of the herd amigh demand on the of april blaine received a notice from fote that lord salisbury was ready to th agree to the proposition and mr blaine telegraphed it to the president the latter replied april expressing satisfaction but instructing blaine to inform fote that some seals must be killed by the natives for food that the lessees lessels were bound under their lease from the government to feed and care fore the natives etc FOTE REPLIED april that he did not agree with the presidents suggestion and expressed his belief that salisbury would not accept it that the killing of seals must be cut off absolutely mr blaine then submitted to fote a statement of exactly what terms in re gard ard to oaring caring for the natives of alas ka were imposed u upon on the north american company ey by lease which in short means living jiving facilities for education care of health religious teaching and training of old and young in a community of over persons if the company should as fote says salisbury requests be deprived aved of all privileges of taking seals it it certainly could not be compelled to minister to the wants of these people for the entire year it evidently requires a considerable erable sum of money to furnish all requisite supplies which must be carried miles on specially chartered steamers meAs if the lessett les are not to be allowed payment in any form they will naturally decline the expense no appropriation has been made by congress for this purpose and the president could not leave these WORTHY AND INNOCENT people to the hazard of starvation even to secure any form of agreement with lord salisbury behring seal life might be valuable but the first duty of a great nation is to protect human life in this exigency the president asked that lord salisbury concede to the north american company the right to take a sufficient number of seals to allow of this fote noti fled salisbury of the proposal by mall mail and received a prompt answer by telegraph which enabled him to inform secretary blaine april that his lordship was disposed to consider the proposal favorably at an interview at your residence on the of april continues minister fote in a note you expressed satisfaction at lord salisbury its s reply and stated that before further steps you desired to communicate by telegraph with the president at a further interview at your residence on the you informed me that the president desired that the modus should contain a reservation of the right to kill a certain number of seals for the support of natives etc at first sight eight this reservation caused me some disappointment it certainly appeared open to exception as detracting from the principle of equity which was a feature of the other proposal I 1 was concerned at your stating it never was the intention of the president or yourself that the modus should be put in force until the arbitration terms were settled this I 1 feared 1 I continued fote would prevent the timely application of the modus and j justice ustice with satisfaction no such condition affixed to your present propos proposal ah although the reservation as to the killing of a limited number of seals by the company as a recompense for the outlay and after a full consideration the secretary of the treasury has fixed the maximum at to be killed that no females be killed so that the productive capacity of the herd shall not be diminished mini shed 11 1 1 SECRETARY BLAINE then renews the proposition that the governments agree to the suspension of sealing subject to the above proviso saying that the president believes the propositions proposition are calculated to produce a result at once fair and honorable to both governments and thus lead to the permanent adjustment of the controversy which has already been too long left at issue on may ath sir julian fote replied to mr blaine stating he be forwarded lord salisbury a copy of the secre Is note may acting secretary adel addressed a personal note to the british minister requesting a reply to the united states government on may he be sent another note to the same effect saying the president was anxious for an early response the situation he adds calls tor for prompt action A large fleet beet of Canad canadian lap sailors has been for some weeks or months on the seas they are daily going further out of reach revenue cutters lave have awaited definite orders ordera their presence to ie urgently needed in behring sea and any further delay tends to defeat any purpose for which an agreement is sought it is quite incompatible with the fitness and justice to american citizens that this should be permitted to continue ample opportunity has hag been afforded her Maje government to bring this condition to a close by an effective agreement but the result is still uncertain and to ail appearances remote the president would be glad to have an agreement reached but he can no longer hold bold back in furtherance af f the vague hope to the detriment of the interests interest of the government and the citizens of the united states 1 1 I am therefore directed ap says the acting Segre secretary tary by the president to say that orders have been given to the revenue steamer rush bush to proceed to the sealing islands another revenue steamer the corwin is at sau san francisco nearly ready to sail and will very shortly put to sea should an agreement be reached before her departure appropriate orders may still be sent by her to the islands I 1 mention this in order that you may comprehend fully this governments desire to effect an arrangement for this season and that you may realize how each day delays the busi business nem 11 1 I feel assured 1 I fote replied that his lordship will greatly regret any inconvenience which may be caused your government by the impracticability of returning an immediate reply to the proposals combined in mr blaines note of the rb of may lord salisbury ry as I 1 had bad the honor to state to you verbally is using the utmost expedition but the lateness of the proposal and the conditions attached to it have given rise to grave difficulties as to which his lordship has necessarily been in communication with his canadian government his reply however may arrive at any moment THE BLUE BOOK LONDON june I 1 the blue book was published this afternoon giving most of the recent correspondence between great britain and the united states touching the behring sea seal fisheries it opens with a telegram from salisbury to fote british minister at washington dated april 17 expressing approval of secretary alaide Blaines suggestion that there be a complete p lee cessation t on of seal catching pending th the cd award of the apropo proposed sed board of arbitration then follow cable dispatches from sir julian to lord salisbury estebes ury referring to the modus vendi viv td encK and informing lord salisbury that secretary blaine preferred that the proposals for a close season reason should come from great britain the blue book also gives secretary blaines dispatch of may ath detailing the proposals and the note of minister fote fate to secretary blaine of may ath in the die dispatch to finister Vi lord salisbury of may minister nister fote says that president harrison is anxious for a reply to blaines last note and in a dispatch of may says the president ident to is much concerned but cannot detain the cruisers the blue book ends with a cable dispatch from lord salisbury to minister fote dated may r saying that a bill had been introduced in parliament to give the queen authority to forbid killing seals in behring sea by british Pub jet and declaring the british government could not take further action in the matter until this bill was pawed passed by parliament |