MODUS VIVENDI OF 1892, 353 



of Salisbury for the ;xi)proval of Her Majesty's Governmeut, and that I 

 am awaiting his lordship's instructions before proceeding further in the 

 matter. 



1 have, etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



iStr Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine. 



British Legation, 

 Washington, February 19, 1892. (Keceived February 20.) 

 Sir: On the occasion of our interview on the 2d instant, w^hen you 

 handed me the draft of the Behring Sea Arbitration convention, which 

 1 forwarded to London for the consideration of Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment, you asked me whether they were prepared to agree to a ^'- modus 

 vicendi^^ for the next fishery season in Behring Sea. In transmitting 

 the draft of the Arbitration convention to the Marquis of Salisbury 1 

 did not fail to inform him of your inquiry, and I have now received a 

 reply from his lordship to the effect that Her Majesty's Government can 

 not express any opinion on the subject until they know what '■'■modus 

 Vivendi''^ you desire to propose. 

 I havej etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote. 



Department of State, 

 Washington, February 24, 1892. 



Sir: I am in receipt of your favor of the 19th. You therein inform 

 me that Lord Salisbury can not express any opinion on the subject of 

 the modus vivendi until he knows what we desire to propose. 



I am glad to hear that Lord Salisbury, contemplates a modus; for it 

 is obvious that it is im]>ossiblc to conclude the Arbitration witlnn the 

 time originally set. Indeed, we shall hardly be able to enter upon it. 

 The delays have been nuich greater on the part of Great Britain than 

 on the part of the United States. 



In reply to your inquiry the President suggests that the modus 

 should be much the same as last year in terms, but that it should be 

 better executed. It was very ineffective last year, for there were a 

 larger number of seals in Behring Sea taken then than ever before. The 

 vessels had already set out before the modus was agreed upon, and it 

 was impossible to give them notice in time to avoid their taking seals. 

 Her Majesty's Government did not take such efficient measures as an 

 earlier date this year will render practicable. 



If Her Majesty's Government would make her efforts most effective, 

 the sealing in the North Pacific Ocean should be forbidden, for there 

 the slaughter of the mothers heavy with young is the greatest. This 

 would require a notice to the large number of sealers which are prepar- 

 ing to go forth from British Columbia. The luimber is said to be 

 greater than ever before, and without any law to regulate the killing 

 of seals the destruction will be immense. All this suggCvSts the great 

 need of an effective wo^??f.s'. Holding an arbitration in regard to the 

 lightful mode of taking seals while their destruction goes forward 



45 



