SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1892. The Behring Sea.

Manawatu Herald, 12 March 1892, Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1892. The Behring Sea.

■ ■■ ■ _» '•■■■' Now and again the news from Britain is full of the Behring Sea difficulty. At one time our American cousins laid claim to the whole of the Behring sea, because in 1876 they purchased from Russia the territory of Alaska. If a look at the map of the world is taken, it will be noticed that Alaska is situated on the extieme northwest of the North American continent and abuts, on the land side, the Dominion of Canada, and is bounded on the north by the Artio ocean, on the west by the Behring straits and the Behring sea, and on the south by the Pacific ocean. The whole value of this land depends on the value of the fisheries on its coast. Behring sea has been noted for its seal fishery, and the Americans who * undoubtedly own the Prybloy islands,

the great breeding spot of these animals, desire for a time to restrict the fishing to avoid the utter destruction of them. The trouble has arisen in that there is a decided difference as to whether such a step is necessary and it has been asserted that the agitation is only a Yankee move to secure tho trade to themselves. The Marquis of Salisbury is willing to prevent sealing within thirty miles of the Pribylov islands believing such a course will prevent the " rookeries " as the breeding beds are termed, from being illegally raided. The Americans are trying for more, and as usual have become intensely active in shipbuilding and fortifications, as is their wont whenever any diplomatic question seems likely to be decided different to their wishes. It however fortunately ends in bluster and nothing more. We have shown how Alaska is bounded, and we will now try and explain why the Americans endeavoured to claim the whole sea as under their control. On the opposite side of the sea is Siberia owned by Russia, and extending from the southern point of Alaska is a long peninsula from the end of which a peculiar series of small islands sweep in a semi-circular course to the shores of Kamchatka, which is a peninsula of Siberia. Thus is the sea of Behring formed giving a colourable excuse for the bold attempt raade by the United States to secure one of the richest fishing grounds in the world for its own countrymen. It is fortunate to learn that the claim to the whole sea has been abandoned.