Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-22
,sp,f,., rrLneRAM TO THE p1.pArcH.,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM DISPATCH.1
WASHINGTON, August 21.-The news of
the seizing of the two sealers, Min
ME and Pathfinder, and the overhauling of
other vessels by the revenue cutter Rush,
was received at the Treasury and State De-
partments to-day with much equanimity and
very little surprise. The authorities appear
to have recovered somewhat from the chag-
rim which overwhelmed them when they
learned that the Black Diamond had re-
fused to be commanded by the prize crew of
one, and had sailed to Victoria instead of
Sitka.
The panic which followed that incident
seemed to indicate that the action of the
captain of the Black Diamond was not con-
templated as a result of any performance of
the commander of the Rush under his in
structions, and that the department and the
country had been rendered ridiculous. Now
that similar results have apparently at
tended the seizure of other vessels, the
Treasury off cials talk as though that is ex-
actly what was contemplated, and that after
they are driven out of the Behring Sea it is
no difference where. the marauding vessels
betake themselves, and the farther away the
better.
PoACHING MUST STOP.
Assistant Secretary Batcheller said, in
answer to many questions: 81 can only say
that the purpose is to drive the poachers
from the Behring Sea, and if the present
mode of attack does not scare them away,
we will adopt more rigid methods. The
seizures will go on, and if vessels catching
illegally will decide it to be safe and profit
able and desirable to risk seizure and con-
fscation of all the results of their labor,
am much mistaken in my judgment.
Mr.. Batcheller would not go into any
discussion of the question of jurisdiction, as
that appeared to have been decided by our
own, if not by other Governments. and the
fact that the Rush was in the Behring Sea
with orders to seize marauding vessels was
sufficient indication of the opinion of the
department. He did not apprehend any
international trouble, and believed that the
revenue vessels would soon rid United
States waters of illegal sealers.
The tidings of the recent seizure, as con-
veyed in dispatch from Victoria, B. c., is
as follows: Yesterday afternoon the steamer
Olympian brought from Port Townsend
Captain Alger, of the. American schooner
Allie L. Alger, and one of his hunters, both
fresh from Behring Sea, and they brought
news of Importance.
THE RUSH AT WORK.
The Captain, who was Interviewed imme-
diateiy on arrival, said: ''On the Both of
July we were in Behring Sea, as nearly as
we can Judge, about 80 miles west of ST.
Paul, when we sighted the cutter Rush
steaming up to us on our quarter. We at
once hove to. Some minutes afterward
boat put off from the Rush and Lieutepant
Tuttle boarded her. He asked for my
papers which 1 at once handed him, and
after perusing them he proceeded with two
men to search the ship. He didn't find any
thing, however, though that is not to say
there was nothing to find aboard. After
coming up out Of the hold when he had
finished searching the ship said to him:
We'll, what luck have you had in the
search?'
"He said: TIL tell you. On the 11th of
July we captured the Black Diamond and
dispatched her to Sitka with man on board
to take charge of her. On the 23d of July
owner, Captain jacobson. was aboard at the
time, and she had S43 seals. We took
possession of her and dispatched her to
Sitka also. Yesterday Goth of july we
bore down on the Pathfinder and found 800 |
sealskins aboard of her.
SEEING SHIPS.
e put duOLucE Ludu dUOdIu Hct anu OI-
dered her off to Sitka as well. Last week we
boarded the Ariel and the Theresa; they
also had some skins aboard, but we let them |
go, as they had not been long there, but Or |
dered them off the sea-
"After telling me this the Lieutenant |
told me 1 had better get out of the sea at |
once, and was then pulled aboard the |
steamer, which was headed for the East. |
We then set sail for the South and arrived i
Monday at Neah Bay. I then left my |
schooner there and came up from Cape |
Flattery to Port Townsend. I caught the |
Olympian and Just reached Victoria. NY |
schooner will, 1 expect, be on the road to
Seattle now. 1 leave here onythe Olympian |
to-day to rejoin her. |