NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE official correspondence relating to the Behring Sea question, presented to Congress on Tuesday, shows the existence of a very unsatisfactory condition of affairs. On the English side, it is in effect asserted that Mr. Blaine has changed his ground from that of a demand for inter- national protection for the seals, and for an agreement as to a close season, to the declaration that Belu'ing Sea is mare .clausum. The Americans, on the other hand, charge Lord Salisbury with having altered his original proposals, and with having subordinated the negotiations to Canadian wishes. The most important fact relied upon on our side is the repudiation by John De Quincey Adams, on behalf of the United States, of the exclusive claims made by Russia when Alaska belonged to her. This repudiation, however, Mr. Blaine declares to be inapplicable if fairly quoted. Meantime, Lord Salisbury's very reasonable proposal that the legality of the seizures should be referred to arbitration ; that till then all interference should cease ; and that, if the decision of the arbitrators should be adverse to the United States, she should compensate British subjects for their losses, appears to have been ignored at Washington. The most serious point in the controversy is the fact that the American Revenue vessels were allowed to sail before any arrangement was come to, and that it therefore rests with their commanders whether or not grave complications shall ensue,—for it would obviously be impossible for Lord Salisbury not to protect British sub- jects in the exercise of rights which, he holds, belong to them. We cannot, of course, pronounce definitely upon the dispute until the full text of the various documents is before us ; but we fear that the New York Herald is right in declaring that the conduct of the negotiations will not add to Mr. Blaine's diplomatic laurels.
