14 NOVEMBER 1891, Page 3

During the hearing of the Sayward ' case on Tuesday,

in the Supreme Court of the United States, it was announced that the British and American Governments had agreed to refer the question as to their rights in the Behring Sea to arbitra- tion. The arbitrating authority is not mentioned, nor are the terms of reference given, as under the Constitution of the United States the consent of the Senate has still to be -obtained. It is useless, therefore, as yet to give any opinion on the merits of this arrangement. As a rule, an arbitration in which England is concerned means a verdict against her, sometimes, we fear, procured by very doubtful means ; but this one may conceivably set an encouraging precedent. We could wish, however, that pecuniary interests were not so heavily involved.