Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, February 24, 1892.
Sir: I am in receipt of your favor of the 19th. You therein inform me that Lord Salisbury can not express any opinion on the subject of the modus vivendi until he knows what we desire to propose.
I am glad to hear that Lord Salisbury contemplates a modus; for it is obvious that it is impossible to conclude the arbitration within the time originally set. Indeed, we shall hardly be able to enter upon it. The delays have been much greater on the part of Great Britain than on the part of the United States.
In reply to your inquiry, the President suggests that the modus should be much the same as last year in terms, but that it should be better executed. It was very ineffective last year, for there was a larger number of seals in Behring Sea taken then than ever before. The vessels had already set out before the modus was agreed upon, and it was impossible to give them notice in time to avoid their taking seals. Her Majesty’s Government did not take such efficient measures as an earlier date this year will render practicable.
If Her Majesty’s Government would make her efforts most effective, the sealing in the North Pacific Ocean should be forbidden, for there the slaughter of the mothers heavy with young is the greatest. This would require a notice to the large number of sealers which are preparing to go forth from British Columbia. The number is said to be greater than ever before, and without any law to regulate the killing of seals the destruction will be immense. All this suggests the great need of an effective modus. Holding an arbitration in regard to the rightful mode of taking seals while their destruction goes forward would be as if, while an arbitration to the title of timber land were in progress, one party should remove all the trees.
I shall have to ask you to transmit the contents of this note to Lord Salisbury by telegraph. Every day that is lost now entails great trouble upon both Governments.
I have, etc.,