178 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



for the fur seals beginning with April 15 and ending with November 1, and also a 

 closed /one covering the waters of Bering Sea between the one hundred and sixtieth 

 degree of west longitude and the one hundred and seventieth degree of east longitude, 

 north of the fiftieth degree of north latitude. This proposition was assented to by 

 Lord Salisbury on behalf of Great Britain, with the stipulation, in deference to the 

 wish of the Government of Russia, that the provisions of such an arrangement should 

 be extended to the waters of Bering Sea in which the Commander Islands are situated 

 and also to the Sea of Okhotsk. This extension was agreed to by the United States. 



OBJECTION BY CANADA. 



When the negotiations looking to an agreement on this basis were on the point 

 of a successful termination they were suddenly brought to a standstill by objections 

 on the part of Canada. Great Britain declined to further consider the matter 

 without the consent of Canada, which could not be obtained. 



THE RENEWAL OF NEGOTIATIONS. 



In view of this state of affairs United States vessels in 1889 renewed the seizure 

 of sealing vessels. This action had been waived the preceding year in view of 

 the favorable progress of the negotiations. In the spring of 1890, Great Britain 

 suggested that the tripartite arrangement which was dropped in 1888 be resumed. 

 This suggestion was accompanied by a change on her part of the original proposition. 

 It was now asked that an inquiry be made by a mixed commission of experts, and 

 that pending the results of their labors pelagic sealing should be prohibited in the 

 waters of Bering Sea, the sea of Okhotsk, and adjoining waters, during the months 

 of May and June and during the months of October, November, and December, and 

 at all times within a radius of 10 miles of the breeding islands. 



THE COUNTER PROPOSITION UNSATISFACTORY. 



To appreciate the nature of this counter proposition it must be borne in mind that 

 the summer months excepted from this close season are the only ones in which the 

 breeding seals are regularly in Bering Sea. Secretary Blaine, who had succeeded 

 Secretary Bayard, in declining this proposition, called attention to its radically 

 different nature from the one originally accepted. The unreasonableness of the 

 proposition seemed, in Mr. Elaine's estimation, sufficient warrant for breaking off 

 the negotiations, but as he intimated they were continued by the United States in 

 the hope of reaching a better understanding. 



PROPOSALS FOR ARBITRATION. 



After much fruitless correspondence in an effort to secure the suspension of 

 pelagic sealing pending further negotiations, Mr. Blaine, on the part of the United 

 States, submitted a series of propositions which, in his opinion, might furnish the 

 basis of an arbitration looking to the final settlement of the matters in dispute. 

 These propositions were six in number. The first five provided for a determination 

 of the questions of jurisdictional rights in Bering Sea exercised by Russia and 

 transferred to the United States, and of the property rights and rights of protection 

 which the United States possessed over the seals when beyond the ordinary 

 territorial waters about the islands. 



