Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.
Washington, June 3, 1890.
Dear Mr. Blaine: In reply to your letter of yesterday evening, touching the fur-seal question, I beg to state that I am in a position to answer at once the inquiry “Whether Lord Salisbury, in order to promote a friendly solution of the question, will make for a single season the regulation which in 1888 he offered to make permanent.”
The words which I quote from your letter have reference no doubt to the proposal of the United States that British sealing vessels should be entirely excluded from the Behring Sea during the seal fishery season. I shall not attempt to discuss here whether what took place in the course of the abortive negotiations of 1888 amounted to an offer on the part of Lord Salisbury “to make such a regulation permanent.”
It will suffice for the present purpose to state that the further examination of the question which has taken place has satisfied His Lordship that such an extreme measure as that proposed in 1888 goes far beyond the requirements of the case.
Her Majesty’s Government are quite willing to adopt all measures which shall be satisfactorily proved to be necessary for the preservation of the fur-seal species, and to enforce such measures on British subjects by proper legislation. But they are not prepared to agree to such a regulation as is suggested in your letter for the present fishery season, as, apart from other considerations, there would be no legal power to enforce its observance on British subjects and British vessels.
I have, etc.,