Arizona Republican

TREATY SIGNED.
An Agreement Reached in Seal Matters.
The Correspondence of the Two Powers.
The Quick Work of the State Department-The Cable Depended On.

Washington, June 15.-An agreement for a closed season in Behring sea was signed this morning, binding Great Britain and the United States to its observance.

The Department of State this afternoon made public the latest correspondence on the subject. It began with a note of June 3 from Sir Julian Pauncefote in reply to Secretary Blaine's letter of May 4. Replying to these propositions Sir Julian replied with a draft of an agreement which differs from the one signed today in covering, by the interdict against killing, in the whole of Behring sea and its islands. It also provides for British Consuls to the islands this summer and that a convention should not come into operation until Russia's consent is obtained.

In reply the President suggested such changes as would give the modus operandi the same territory and extent with the pending proposals for arbitration and see that the stipulation for prohibition of killing upon the islands of the United States might rest upon its own order, and that the obligations of the respective Governments to give prompt and vigorous effect to the agreement might be more clearly apparent. The President stated no British consular function could be exercised on Behring sea islands, but reasonable facilities might be extended to Great Britain for investigating at the islands any facts involved in the controversy to be arbitrated. The bringing of Russia into the affair at this time would prove simply prohibitive of agreement upon the modus operandi and could not be granted by the United States. A suggestion that either power might arrest the violators of the agreement, be they British or American, is then made by the President. June 6 Lord Salisbury's reply was received. He accepts the President's suggestion as to the arrest of poachers and turning over to the power to which they belong, but thinks Britain should have consulates on the islands to see that no more than 7500 seals are taken. This is regarded indispensable and, in lieu of the consul, he asks that a British agent may be specifically authorized to reside in the islands and demand to take Russia if he withdraws, but urges the interdict to apply to all Behring sea, and urged that the terms of arbitration be settled simultaneously. In reply, the President states the limitation of the killing of seals is absolutely within the control of the United States, as daily count is made by officers. This Government could not, of course, consent to any arrangement that implied doubt of its good faith or involved foreign supervision. The President, however, is quite willing to agree that England may send to the islands, with a view of collection of facts involved in the arbitration question. Suggestions of this reply are then embodied by the President in a proposition covering the agreed points and the President's suggestions amendatory, the limit line of final agreement being included and permission stipulated that Great Britain may send suitable persons to the islands for the purpose named. This was cabled and two days later Lord Salisbury replied, with a counter proposition, adding to the agreement for taking 7500 seals, these words: To be taken on shores and islands as food and skinn and not for tax or shipment. The President in his reply declares this to be an extraordinary proposal and not a clear one. This new condition is purely inadmissible and inconsistent with the assent already given by Her Majesty's Government to the proposition of the United States. The President is surprised that it should now be suggested that none of the skins to be caught should be removed from the islands, and cannot understand how British interests can be promoted by allowing them to go to waste. Regarding the British claim that an interdict shall cover all Behring sea shores and include, the President points out that the shores and islands belong to the United States, being within territorial limits and any mutual policing of United States territory waters. It is the United States' undisputed property.

Lord Salisbury's proclamation says in part: Her Majesty's Government will prohibit, until May next, seal killing in that part of Behring sea lying eastward of the line of demarkation described and will promptly use the best efforts to insure the observance of this prohibition by British subjects and vessels. The United States will prohibit seal killing for the same period in the same places in excess of 7500, to be taken on the islands for subsistence and care of the natives and will promptly use its best efforts to insure the observance of this prohibition by the United States. Every vessel or person offending against this prohibition in said waters of Behring sea outside of the territorial limits of the United States may be seized and detained by the naval or other duly commissioned officers of either of the high contracting parties, but they shall be handed over as soon as practicable to the authorities of the nation to which they respectively belong, who shall alone have jurisdiction to try their offenses and impose penalties for same. In order to facilitate such proceeding proper inquiries as Her Majesty's Government may desire to make with a view to the preservation of the case for arbitration to suitable persons, designated by Great Britain, will be permitted at any time upon application to visit or to remain upon the seal islands during the present sealing season.

For that purpose arrangements indicated in the above was carried to completion with a degree of speed without precedent in the history of the State Department and the cable has been relied upon to an unwonted extent. The agreement was signed this morning, and a Presidential proclamation followed as quickly as it could be prepared, and orders are now in preparation for an immediate dispatch of probably two naval vessels from San Francisco to Alaska, where they will assist revenue cutters in driving off poaching sealing vessels.