, 1888-03-22

William Spring, fur trader Victoria;
CapE i. II. McAlmCnd Of Sch. Cham
pi5n; Capt. James Dalgardno Sen.
Mary Taylor: Capt. \. L. Oliver Sch.
EudJra; Capt Charles Willoughby,
l.. ). Indian Agent Neah Bay; Mr..
Marsiiliot second engineer OF Z. s.
Steamer " olcott, and Indians of Neah
Bay, al Of whom testified that | was
correct IL what I had reported, and
that Mr. Elliott was wrong. Since
this publication in 1888 [ have seen
no more Of 1Ir. Eiliotts fables in
print and pass him by, but [ proved
that the southern seals differ from
the Pribloff Island seals, and that,
they do not haul out on those Is,
lands 1T all.
Now Tor the other dogmaiic asser-
ton that the indiseYiminate slaUgh.
ter OF fur seals on st. Paul and ST.
GEORGE Islands would soon eXtermi
nate the race. assert, without fear
Of contradiction from any but preju-
dice persons in the pay Of the Alaska
Company that it Is as impossible TO
exterminute the saui5 as 1t is goldfish
True the c0okerie5 may be destroyed
but the seals will not be exterminated;
they VIII simply 90 elsewhere and, as
I have shown regarding the Cailfor-
Ma seal. they Mcguire new habits
In support CT nay assertion l will
uDote from Il recent number of tho
New York Fishing Gazette" an ar
ticlo on the hair seal fishing OF the
North Atlantic where for more than
one hundred years these seals have
been killed by millions. The article
says "a company with one million
dollars subscribed capital is being
formed IN Canada to prosecute seal
and other fishing in the Gulf of st.
Lawrence and on tie coast Of Lab
rador. The carrying out OF this pro-
iect will require two bark riGged
steamers OF 300 tons each, steam oil
rendering establishment &c, at
cost of SI00,O0O. Twenty-four mil
lion seals have been killed aud their
skins exported 10 England during
the last Is years." and yet these seals
are so plenty that this company is
willing 20 risk one million dollars
for their capture.
1t is as impossible to exterminate
the fur seal of the Pacific as it is to
extermiaate the hair seals of the At
lantic. But it woGld be better to
kill the last seal in Behring sea
rather than prevent American citi-
zens from fishing and hunting in
those waters which is now done for
the benefit OF the Alaska CONNER
cial Company. The lease that COM
pany have to st. Paul and st. George
Islands expires in two years, and tha
same arguments can be used against
its renewal as were urged in the
British Parliament in 1858 relative
to the charter of the Hudson Bay
Company. Mr.. Roebuck said, he
meant to bring no charge aga-nst
that company; they had done, wnat,
by their nature as company they
were called on to do, but he asked
the House to consider the circum-
stances under which the company
acted 1t was fur company, and a
fur company by its very nature was
opposed to colonization. Where
wild animals cUngregate, there man
could not live, and the introduction
of man as q colonist drove away the
fur bearing animals and put an end
to all fur companies; the Hudson
Bay Company following up their
own interest had mRlntained. the
country in its widest state and had
kept out colonization. In this state
Of things be appealed to the House
OF Commons and said they had the
means ii their own hands TO advance
civilization over an uncUIiiyated
territory and to carry there all the
arts and happiness, and all the i'm
provements in manners, laws and re-
iIgion which attended civilization,
making the territory what it may in
tended to be, a happy home for many
millions of people
Lord Bury said tie course of the
Hudson Bay company was the very
madness OF monopoly, when they ex-
pected by their stupid effete charter
to shut up forever the route TO the
great west.
Mr. Gladstone said: Here is
large portion of the surface of the
earth with regard to the character OF
which re have been systematically
kept in darkness, for those who have
information to give have also an in.
terest directly opposed to their i'm
parting it,"
In reference to Sir George Simp-
sons testimony, as Governor of Hud-
sons Bay company before the COM
mittee to enquire into the affairs OF
that company. Governor Simpson
represented that those territories ex-
tending from the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc, over which that company had
control, were bound by frost and
banked in fog, and that woe would
betide any unfortunate individu ais
who might. by a reckless spirit OF
adventure, be SO far diverted from
the path of prudence as to endeavor
to settle in those parts. The truth is
that great part O. .--.j country is
highly valuable for colony purposes
and it is impossible to state in too
strong language the proposition that
the Hudson Bay Company lis by its
very existence and its character tina
enemy of colonization"
The British Parliament refused to
renew the charter of the Hudson Bay
Company, and the vast possessions
they claim, have grown into the
Dominion of Canada.
Substitute in the foregoing rs-
marks of Roebuck, Lord BURY and
Gladstone the words Alaska Oom.
mercial Company instead OF Hud-
sons Bay Company, and We have the
exact status of the Alaska company
at the present time. They are, BY
their nature aS a fur company,
opposed to colonization. All their
habits, all their purposes and es-
Establishments, all their arrangements
require that colonization should be
absolutely excluded, and that all
fishermen and hunters should bs
driven from the waters OF Behring
sea and the North Pacific Thus far
they have succeeded in having tbs
Government of the United States at
their back and have obtained orders