Office of the Historian

Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Wharton.

British Legation,
Washington, March 19, 1892.

Sir: On receipt of your note of the 8th instant I immediately telegraphed to the Marquis of Salisbury the substance of its contents in accordance with the request which you expressed on behalf of the President, and I have now the honor to inform you that I have this day received a reply from his lordship, by telegram, to the following effect:

Lord Salisbury again points out that the information in the possession of Her Majesty’s Government does not lead them to believe that another year’s suspension of sealing is necessary to prevent an undue diminution of the seal herds.

His lordship, however, proceeds to observe that beyond this question it is considered by your Government that they have a right to be protected from the loss which they may incur from free sealing being permitted this year, in the event of their claim to Behring Sea being upheld by the arbitrators. He states that Her Majesty’s Government do not dispute that after the ratification of the convention there will be some foundation for this contention; but he adds that the prohibition of all sealing as a remedy has this defect, that the British sealers excluded from Behring Sea would have an undoubted ground of complaint if the British claim should be upheld by the arbitrators. Moreover, there is no security that the arbitration will be concluded before the sealing season of 1893. Thus an arbitration between Great Britain, the United States, and Portugal, which has already occupied four years, is still pending. Serious damage would be caused to the industry by a suspension of sealing for a long period.

In view of all the above considerations, it appears to Her Majesty’s Government that it would be more equitable to provide that sealing in Behring Sea shall continue on the condition that the owner of every sealing vessel shall give security for satisfying any damages which the arbitrators may adjudge.

I shall be glad to learn that the above suggestions meet with the concurrence of your Government.

I have, etc.,

Julian Pauncefote.