Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-01
Protecting the Seals.
Treasury Officials on the Beh-
ring Sea Imbroglio.
STATUS OF THE ROW AT PRESENT.

The Fur-Bcarers Must BE Protected from
Pirates or BE Annihilsted A Grave
Question Of Jurisdiction to Settle-Tich-
enor Doesn't Mince His Words-Secre-
tary Blaine Nom Committal, but Refers
to the Bill Signed by Cleveland.
WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. 1.-The state
department has not yet received any demand
for the release of the Canadian sealing vessel
Black Diamond, but such a demand is ex-
pected by some, as soon as the British gov
eminent learns officially Of the seizure. No
serious trouble with Great Britain is appre-
hended by department officials, however, for
the reason that it is to the interest of Great
Britain, and all other commercial countries,
that these seals should be preserved from the
slaughter of piratical sealing craft The
United States, they say, protects them
against our own and foreign poachers alike
A Treasury OhRciaIs Opinion.
Assistant Secretary Batcheller, talking
with reporter yesterday, said that the
treasury department had no part in the
political or diplomatic side of the question.
They found the law on the statute books, he
said, and it was their duty to enforce it.
Moreover they had the proclamation of the
president, which announced that it was the
purpose of the administration that it should
be enforced
don't see how there can be much trouble
about 1.-THE said-for no nation can afford to
throw those fisheries open to destruction. The
commercial interests of the world are too ser
iously involved. A great commercial nation
like England could not afford to have this de-
struction go on. The protection we give is for
the good of the whole world
Habits of the Seal.
The habits of the seal are well known. They
make three visits to these islands. On the
last visit, when they are not breeding or with
young, they are taken. We limit the number
that may be taken in any one year and pro-
vide that the female shall be preserved, only
. per cent of the catch being allowed to oe of
that sex. At certain times of the year they
disappear. No one knows where they go-per-
haps out in the deep water. Again they are
seen in the sea, far from shore. That is where
they are killed by these poachers, and the
mothers with young are the ones that suffer,
because they are the only oses to be got at in
any numbers. BY killing the females when
with young tn s way the whole brood would
soon be destroyed. England can't afford to
have this done re
The Right of Search Involved.
Another official intimated that the case of
the seizure and search of the Triumph, which
were found on board, might be a more seri-
Gus matter than the seizure and detention of
the Back Diamond, for it involved the right
| of the United States to seize and search sus-
pected vessels outside of what is conceded to
| be the jurisdiction of the United States. This
government, he said, claims that right
within a limit not yet acknowledged by
England, and the settlemsntfof the question
after all, is TO be one of jurisdiction
John Bull Claims Everything.
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Tichenor I'm talk with Post reporter about
the Behring sea seizure said: 'Officers of
| the revenue cutters in Behrng sea will seize
every vessel, American or British, found
violating the law. Great Britain claims a
right TO the fisheries, but Great Britain is in
the habit of claiming everything. All idea
| of redress or indemnity under the circunl-
| stances Is absurd. The matter will be treated
as a trespasSn