The Marlborough Express. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1893. THE BEHRING SEA QUESTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 204, 19 August 1893, Page 2

The Marlborough Express. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1893. THE BEHRING SEA QUESTION.

•*■ The settlement of the Behring Sea dispute ends a long lived controversy. The trouble had its origin as far back as 1821. Russia, who then owned Alaska, set up one of those ridiculous claims of exclusive right, or jurisdiction, which she has continued m other quarters down to tha present day ; claims that no other civilised power would have the audacity to make. In that year sha proclaimed the whole of the Alaskan Sea, within her jurisdiction, and forbade the citizens of other nations engaging m any of the fisheries, whale, or otherwise. Moreover foreign vessels were forbidden to engage m any commerce whatever, or approach within. 100 miles of the shore, on pain of seizure, and the confiscation of their oargo. The Amarican whale fishers laughed at the Russian claim, armed their vessels and carried on their fishery. But the Russian proclamation aimed not at America, but England. In 1867 the United, States m pursuance of the Monroe doctrine purchased the territory of Alaska, and claimed to have included m the purchase f ••om Russia, what was never hers to sell. In the treaty, or deed of sale of 1867, there is no mention of thisaß3umed ownership of the ocean beyond the international three mile limit. After purchase, an Act of Congress was pissed extending the laws of the United States relating to Customs, commerce, and navigation to all the mainland, iulando, and waters of the territory ceded to Russia. This Act also provides for the regulation of the seal fisheries. Though the claim of the Uaited States was as baseless as that of Russia, sha has, incredible though it appears, allowed the frequaat seizure by her own people of British American vessels ashing m thosQ watsra 50 miles from the shore; and, lattarly, vessels and cargo have been absolutely csnfiscjted. For this, however, she has now to pay something like a million and a half dollars compensation. The United States has the right to regulate the waters of Alaska, but these waters aye confined to the three-mile limit from shore as prescribed by international law. The aat 0! aggression against the British oonsi >ted m applying iooil regulations to British vessels which did not go within the waters of Alaska. Brother Jonathan has exhibited great bluster and bounce ovsr this question, and has long evadsd a settlement. Conference after Conference has taken place for years past without result, and it redounds much to tha credit of Britain that she haß maintained suoh a spirit of conciliation (too much 83 soma might claim) when her rights were being so outrageously infringed. It has baen commonly believed m diplomatic circles that war ha 3 nearly eventuated more than once over the matter, especially m 1887, and the Mirquis of Salisbury was credited with having then avoided it, by a piece of able diplomacy not made public. The award now made by the arbitrators restores to Britain her longalienated rights m the Behring Sea. That sea has been decided to be not within Alaskan territory, but that it forms part of the Pacific Ocean. And so the trouble which began m Russia's diplomatic imposture seventy-one years ago, is now for ever settled ; that it has been settled by peaceful means, instead of the arbitrament of arm 3, marka another triumph of civilisation. Th 9 two great English-speaking countries have once more demonstrated that international disputes can be more effectually and cheaply settled m this way, than by the barbarous art of war.