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 zone 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. Blaine’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. 
