LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
ARBITRATION AND THE BEHRING SEA CLATMS uro VIZ Maros or ram "ersorArorun Si,—In the Spectator of March 9th, you stated in the "News of the Week" that the House of Representatives at. ARBITRATION AND THE BEHRING SEA CLATMS uro VIZ Maros or ram "ersorArorun Si,—In the Spectator of March 9th, you stated in the "News of the Week" that the House of Representatives at.
Washington had refused to vote the amount due to Canadian
• sealers under the Behring Sea arbitration ; and this circum- stance was cited as a striking illrstmtion of the futility of arbi- tration in international disputes. Allow me, then, to call your -attention to the fact that it appears, from information since received, that there is no desire or intention to repudiate any 'legitimate claims, and that the sole question raised was as to the amount really due. It was stated by Senator Morgan, 'Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, that a large part of the amount submitted to the House consisted of claims sent in by "Americans hiding behind English 'colours." In consequence of this discovery, the United States Government will propose to our Government the appointment of a Commission for the adjustment of the amount really due, under Article 8 of the Treaty of 1892. it is indeed thought that, in the long-run, a larger sum may have to be paid than that originally estimated, in consequence of fresh claims not before submitted. At present it would appear that only $96,000, instead of $425,000, are due to 'Canadian sealers. May I venture to express my deep regret that a journal exercising so great and legitimate an influence on public opinion as the Spectator should constantly impugn the value of Arbitration in international disputes ? K Novicow, the Russian economist, estimates the annual cost of European armaments at four hundred millions sterling,— .professedly expended to secure the nations against war. Yet there is so little sense of security, that great and useful industrial enterprises cannot be undertaken ; while the very sources of national wealth are undermined. Under such circumstances, it is surely the duty of every man to support any reasonable -effort made to substitute for this regime of brute force the regime of law and equity I—I am, Sir, &c.,
HODGSON PRATT.
[Mr. Pratt, like the American House of Representatives, goes behind the award. We contend that an award, to be of any use, must be considered binding.—En. Spectator.]
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