Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, December 10, 1891.
Sir: In reply to your note of the 8th instant, I have the following observations to make:
- First. Ever since the Behring Sea question has been in dispute (now nearly six years) not one ship from France or Germany has ever engaged in sealing. This affords a strong presumption that none will engage in it in the future.
- Second. A still stronger ground against their taking part is that they can not afford it. From France or Germany to Behring Sea by the sailing lines is nearly 20,000 miles, and they would have to make the voyage with a larger ship than can be profitably employed in sealing. They would have to start from home the winter preceding the sealing season and risk an unusually hazardous voyage. When they reach the fishing grounds they have no territory to which they could resort for any purpose.
- Third. If we wait until we get France to agree that her ships shall be searched by American or British cruisers, we will wait until the last seal is taken in Behring Sea.
Thus much for France and Germany. Other European countries have the same disabilities. Russia, cited by Lord Salisbury as likely to embarrass the United States and England by interference, I should regard as an ally and not an enemy. Nor is it probable that any American country will lend its flag to vessels engaged in violating the Behring Sea regulations.
To stop the arbitration a whole month on a question of this character promises ill for its success. Some other less important question even than this, if it can be found, may probably be started. The effect can only be to exhaust the time allotted for arbitration. We must act mutually on what is probable, not on what is remotely possible.
The President suggests again that the proper mode of proceeding is for regulations to be agreed upon between the United States and Great Britain and then submitted to the principal maritime powers. That is an intelligent and intelligible process. To stop now to consider the regulations for outside nations is to indefinitely postpone the whole question. The President, therefore, adheres to his ground first announced that we must have the arbitration as already agreed to. He suggests to Lord Salisbury that any other process might make the arbitration impracticable within the time specified.
I have, etc.,