Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-27

PRECEDENT Harrison Proposes to En-
force the Huactmeuts.

rison has Issued his proclamation warning
marsndsrs that the laws prohibiting the kill
ing Of seals 10 Alaskan waters. as heretofore
CONSTRUED by the Treasury Department, and
a. recently by Congress. will be thoroughly
enforced. and = revenue cutter sent TO
Behring Sea for that purpose 1t will be re-
membered that. In consequence Of the nom
enforcement Of Laws last year. there were
thirty Canadian sesIers killing seal, in
Behring Sea, and it is announced that
hundred maraudiny vessels are preparing to
pursue this business the coming season
"rnls. the laws prohibiting the killing
Of seals by marsuders are faithfully en-
forced. d." raid Mr.. Dingley. lit will no, be i've
Alaskan seal islands. which may yield the
L nitsd States Government an annual revenue
Of over 500 600. to be probably increased to
half a million, will be destroyed. as all the
South Sea rookeries have been. The fur
seal resort % the Alaskan seal islands FIVE
month. in the year TO bring forth and rear
their young, the females leaving their Young
upon the shores and going out into the waters
Of the Behring Sea daily for food. II
maraaders are allowed to pursue and kill the
females while they are searching for food
10 the water. not only the females perish,
but also their young More than that, not
more than one out Of seven females killed
In the water are recovered by the marauder..
90 that 20, 900 sealskins obtained BY the
msrs1ders represent 10000 female scales
destroyed snd the young in addition, while
the regular and authorized killing on the
land, by authority Of the Government, Is
confined to the non breeding male seals, and
thus preserve seal life 1t will be seen.
therefore, that the preservation Of fur seals
in which the civilized world is interested,
depends upon the prevention of the killing
Of the female seals in their daily pursuit Of
foot in Bchring Sea, and the Government
must prevent it or see these rO0keres de-
sIoyed. a half million of revenue thrown
away, and the Alents deprived of their only
means Of support.
For a century before the purchase of
Alaska Russia prohibited the killing of seals
in Behring Sea without protest from any
quarter. and the United States have been er-
prr-.ly granted whatever dominion Russia
, possessed. I do not think ii necessary to
bold that Behring is a closed SEA in order to
maintain our right to prohibit the killing of
seals that breed and for Ave months live on
islands belonging TO the United States in
! their daily pursuit of food in those waters
OUTSIDE Of the tlire4 mile Limit, although Rus.
STA did successfully maintain this position for
nearly century the only protest having
been when she attempted TO extend her right
of control to waters south of Behrng Sea.
notice the statement that eI Secretary
Boutwell conceded that We had not right to
patrol the waters of Behring Sea for this
purpose outsida o. the three mile limit This
is an error, as the Ell Secretary himself said
in a recent letter to the House Committee ON
Merchant Marine and Fisheries, which is
published In tnr solume containing the re-
tOIt ana tfHltHtt AdhtH w tEr .i'IiilltN'ts
ON the contrary. he maintained, and e.ecy
Secretary Of the Treasury has maintained the
doctrine set forth in communication from
Acting Secretary French in ISL. that the
Initrd States has Jurisdiction oyer Bthring
Sea so far as TO prohibit the killing OF trr
seals IN those waters,
There is not the slightest connection be
tween the fishery question on the North asst
coast and the protection of fur seals in Alas
kan waters Whatever right Great Britain
mi ght have had to control the n-hesles Ds the
/ mix. .ie had expressly surrendered to Us By
treaty. Whatever right Russia had by dis
covery and actual possession in Behring Sea.
conveyed To us by treaty. But aside from
,his, the difference between the right to pro
tect an amphibiou- animal like the fur $, al,
which lives i've months and brings forth and
nurtures its young on islands belonging to the
United States. III its daily visits to the waters
OF B. bring Sea for food and the right to
control fish which breed and live constantly
in waters far away from the shore. is so
marked that no parallel can be
drawn between them, and this difference
is especially emphasized when it is borne IN
mind that the catching Of nsh In deep water
does not eudanger the supply while the
killing Of seals in the manner prohibited by
our laws in Alaskan waters would. if not