The National tribune., 1889-08-08
THE nrnrna SEA ArrAm

THE BEREHG SEA AFFAIR.
The eonstantly-recurring troubles with
piratieaI seaI-killers in Bering Sea have
been brought TO focus, by the forcible seiz-
ure July II of the Black Diamond,
schooner flying the British Gag, some 20
miles from land, by the United States Reve-
nue. cutter Rush. Ample evidence of the
guilt of the vessel were found in 100 skins
of seals which had been killed in violation
Of the law and the Presidents proclamation
Of March 81. Al nonlcommissioned officer
was put in eharge,of the Black Diamond.
and he was directed to take her to Sitka.
Her Captain and crew, however, were too
strong for the prize-ofiicer and took her to
Victoria, B. c., where she is owned
The seizure made quite connection in
Canada, mainly stirred up by the men in
British Columbia who are engaged in the
profitable business Of poaching on our seal
preserves, and for few days there was
strong talk of war, in which they were aided
and abetted by the ultra English Mugwump
papers of New York and Boston But there
win be no war, nor any serious disagreement
between cur Government and that of Great
Britain over the affair, for the sufficient req
son that England has quite rs strong peeu-
MARY reasons as we have for desiring that
the sealpiracy shall be stopped effectively
and Mt once.
The position of the United States is be-
lieved TO be impregnable. both legally and
otherwise.
The civilized world is directly interested
in the preservation of the seal fisheries,
upon which depend many important indus
tries in this country and in Europe. The
fisheries of Alaska, rs was shown by an able
article by Prof Elliott in this paper some
months ago, are by far the most extensive
and valuable in the world. They viii be
destroyed inside of five yearsif the depreda-
tions of the poachers are allowed TO go on
unchecked The laws Of the United States
provide that only bachelor seals-males
under six years of age-may be killed, and
these only Mt certain season of the year.
The poaehers pay no regard to these regula-
tions, bat kill all the animals they can
reach, and the magnitude Of their operations
Ia shown by the statement that the Rush
dispersed one feet Of % vessels, and that
they had already taken between 1000 and
5000 seals, large proportion of which were
females
Before the eession Of Alaska TO the United
States Russia carefully protected the seals,
and we continued her policy, though with
less rigoE The course Of the last Admins
tration with regard 10 the seal fisheries was
like it's Samoan policy. That is, it asserted
our rights on paper. bat took no steps to
back mp its assertions. The last Congress,
however, passed more stringent legislation.
and specifically directed the President to
enforce il, which be has proceeded to do.
The Captain Of the revenue cutter win
probably be found 10 have acted within his
instructions, and the,matter viii likely end
very quietly.
The only pretext the poaehers have for
complaint is that the capture was made ON
the high seas, outside of United States juria-
diction. Even were this technically so it
can be sustained and Justified On the broad
grounds that II WIZ necessary TO do thing
which all the world says ought to be done.
But our State Department viii undoubtedly
be able 10 dcmonstrata that the Boring Sea
Is legally American waters"