THE BEHRING SEA QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8289, 23 June 1890, Page 6

THE BEHRING SEA QUESTION.

Orders were sent on May 22, from the Treasury Department at Washington, to the commander of the Revenue cutter Rush, at San Francisco, directing him to proceed to Alaskan waters. The commander of the Bear had already received similar instructions, which tire to the effect that vessels caught violating the law of closure will be dismantled, and be deprived of all means of farther infraction. Their logs and all skins will also be seized. These instructions have created great excitement in Canada. Senator Maedonald, of Victoria, 8.C., says that the scalers will simply ignore the action of the United States Executive. The Canadian sealing fleet started from Victoria on their annual hunt in January. They go down the coast as far as San Francisco, then follow the seals north, picking them up as they go along. They will go into Behriug Sea, as they consider they have a perfect right to, and if interfered there will be bloodshed. The Canadian Government has informed owners of sealing vessels on the Pacific coast that they can offer no assurance that their vessels will be free from molestation if caught by American cruisers in the Behring Sea that, in hunting seals in these waters they have to take the whole responsibility for what may follow. This is the outcome of the recent conference at Washington. Mr. Tupper, Canadian Minister of Marine and Fisheries, has returned to Ottawa disappointed at the result of his mission.