New-York tribune., 1888-08-30
NO SEIZURES THIS YEAR.
STRANGE TIDINGs FROM BEHRING SEA
BRITISH PoACHERs CAUGHT SEALING BY REVENUE
VESSELS, BUT NOT MOLE-fED
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

San Francisco, Aug 9-The steamer st. Paul
arrived to-day from Ounalaska, bringing news
that British sealing schooners have been unmO-
Tested this season in Bchrng Sea, thus showing
that Secretary Bayard and the Administration have
failed to protect the Seal Islands. The n,ws
created sensation here among sealing experts,
and the opinion was freely expressed hat next
would witness swarm Of swlft-sallinS
sealing schooners sent out from Victoria. DIR.
Mcintyre, general agent OF the Alaska CONNER
cial Company at Ounalaskn, who arrived on the
ST. Paul, said today that not a single schooner
bearing the British flag had been mocsted this
season, although they had been in the Bchrng Sea
and were ovcrhauled by the revenue cutter Rich
ard Rush.
Some time In July" said Dr. Mcintyre, the
BRUSH schooner Vauder and one other sighted
by the Rush, half way between the Seal Islands
and Ounaasl1a. The Vauder had her boats out
and both had SKINS. The other schooner would
have been sealing had the weather not been so
heavy The Rush ran alongside of her and her
officer asked the Britons what they were about,
but got no reply. The evidence against them
was positive, much more than against others
that have been condemned and sold One would
naturally suppose that these poacEcrs were seized.
They were not; and when tho Richard Rush
reached OunalaslIa L asked the people on the
Rush what their orders this year. They
said their instructions were the same rs last sea-
son, hut know that in this instance old-tmo
vigilance was not observed. Those schOonerS
were there for no good one was actually caught
scaling and still no seizure was madc."
Have no schooners of any naticn'hty been
captured this year,
;" Not one at least, none had been reported MP
to August Is, when the St. Paul departed for
San Francisco. do not think many schocncrs
;,,.n II. .hpir Cnn hut
Sem safe enough ON informed that one OF
those same British schooncrs that was oycrlaucd
by the Rush was seen by the revenue cutter lear
when she was passing through Hchring Sco on hcr
4 suspicious position but nothing was done about
year.
And what will be the rcsult?7 was asked.
Next gear swarm of schoOncrs will be fitted
out in Victoria and San Francisco and thsy Will
make united raid on the seals Why If the
fact that Secretary Bayard would not protect
the seals this year hid been known this spring.
there would have been sixty or seventy schoonrrs
in Brhring Sea by June. There will be lively
Mr. Sloss. president Of the Alaska Commercial
Company said that he had no doubt general
descent will be made on the seals next year.
The lease of the company expires after next
season and Mr. Sloss says thGt the franchise VIII
he worthless unless the seals are given some pro-
lection.
1t is supposed that these extraordinary privi-
leges granted to the British echo0nrrs to which.
however, American private scalcrS do not seem
TO have access, are the result OF priNai" md
standing arrived at by Mr.. Bayard and Joseph
Chamberlain when tho late Fisheries Treaty was
drawn up. Local private ScalerS here cXprc>,
great disgust over Mr.. BayardS tayorti~m to the
British sealers They charge that lie has sdcri-
feed them TO the English. ~, if there WAS to be
free sealing. they should have thc chance The
ST. Paul brought 100 900 soalSlllns. the yearly
catch Of ST. George and st. Panl Islands, valued
nj So. 900, 900. Special Agent TinSle was one OF
the passengers