Evening journal., 1890-07-22
NOT ACANNON MOUNTED
Gen. Miles on Our Defenseless
Canadian Border.
NOW SEALS ARE SLAUGHTERED.

Very EeadaDie Report AfesehtSu "
the senate by the Committee on Rela-
tions with Canada - Many Important
Topics Of the Day Touched Upon.
wAsHNGTox, July 22.-Mr. Hoar. chair
man of the senate committee on relations
with Canada, presented to the senate the
testimony which has been taken by that
committee. It IS understood that the COM
nittce will make a report Of its conclu-
sions at a later period, after additional
testimony shall have been taken at Detroit,
Buffalo and some other points. The testi-
monv already comprises some J, 200 printed
naoes. II consists of testimony Of military
men. railroad officials, prominent business
men Of the United States and Canada,
men engaged in the fishing industry along
the whole extent Of the northern boundary
OF the United States from California TO
Maine. The testimony covers all the points
Of vital interest as to the relations be-
tween the United States and the dependen-
cies of Great Britain in North America.
The first witness examined was Gen. Nell
son a. Miles. in command on the Pacific
coast.
our Defenseiess Northwestern Border.
Cen Miles. commenting upon the de-
fenseless condition of the United States,
unon onr northwestern boundary, said:
N believe that the railway system Of
british Columbia could be occupied by
American troops in ten days, In other
words. that the principal part Of British
Columbia could be occupied by American
troops-not however, through Victoria,
That IS on the island Of Vancouver occu-
pied by British forces, place where the
British government has expended millions
in building dry docks, navy yards and
made some surveys for fortihcatuns. They
have there at this time a fleet Of ships under
the command Of a British admiral | think
It IS fair to say that during the ten days the
British feet could destroy every town and
city on Puget sound, destroy our railroad
system there and occupy our outlets for
that northwestern country. They could
also send ships up the Columbia river and
destroy the city Of Portland and that rail
Tav system. There is not a gun OF an
earthwork on Puget sound, nor single
artillery soldier. There are a few obsolete
guns at the mouth of the Columbia in Fort
Candy, but that is now occupied by troops.
Not Gun in Position.
"That is the condition of affairs north OF
fhe harbor Of San Francisco. South of the
harbor Of San Francisco there is not gun
in position. a round of ammunition, or q
single artillery soldier to defend the har
bors and cities of san Diego, Santa Bar
bara and San Pedo, the terminus Of one Of
the railroads, and from these points q
small force could destroy the railway sys
tenn in southern California"
san Francisco's worthless Cannon.
The following Is a concluding sentence
of the report Of board Of officers appointed
to investigate the condition of the fortih
cations of San Francisco harbor and til,
entrance to the Golden Gate; "From th'
defective character Of the carriages ant
emplacoments upon and in which the ex
listing armament OF this harbor Is mounted
it Is not possible to fire a single gun witt
a service charge, nor could this state of al
fairs be remedied in the course Of mouth.
The British and Behring Sea.
The report contains an account Of tn
British fortifcation at Esquimault, wher
Il "A reported that Great Britain is noy
concentrating war vessels with a view :
possible contingencies in Behring sea.
great number Of witnesses discuss in all IL
relation the question Of subsidies to steam
ers from the Pacific coast to China, noti
bly, the lines which have been subsdizc
by Great Britain in connection with th
Canadian Pacific railroad, and which col
stitute a continuous subsidized line froi
China to Liverpool over the Canadian "a
cilic. One Of the curious features Of th
testimony is a consideration Of the poss
ble transfer Of a portion Of the fisheries II
terest from the Atlantic 70 the north n
cific coast. The testimony gives the latel
information as to the salmon industry O
the Pacific coast and the coal productio
along the northern frontiers and in Il
northwestern states. The testimony is a
important contribution 70 many subjec
connected with the tariff, and will be like
TO be found OF use in the tariff debate
Nearly every question connected wit
the tariff as affected by the relations b
tween the United States and Canada
treated on both sides. The managers
the United States Transcontinontal roi
system complain Of the competition Of z
Canadian road, which is made possible
the fact that the roads are nos subject
the interstate commerce law. Many
them suggest that the long and short ha
aud the pooling sections Of the intersts
commerce law should be repealed.
seals are Yantonly Destroyed.
some very curious information is Civ
as TO the nature of the Alaska seal I'll
cries Most Of the fishermen engaged
the food fishing on the north Atlan
coast insist that the seals are very
structive Of food fish, and that it will b
benefit to the country when they shall
disappear.
There is abundant evidence to show I
seals are destroyed in the most wan
manner by shooting, irrespective Of
season. One Of the fishermen Of the no
western coast said it requires over 40,C
600 pounds OF food fish per day 70 SUI
the seals, and that it may become ne
sarv on that coast TO get rid Of the seal
order to preserve the food fish for u
kind. Some OF the fishermen predict
with the existing methods of hunting
seals there viii not be any seals in L
inr sea ia five years time. The
mony contains vast deal Of detailed
formation as to the resources of the
northwest The advocates of CONNIE
union. OF reciprocity, Of free raw mate
have been permitted to state their v
at length.
There is exhaustive information as Il
material and political condition Of Car
There is complete information as &
vessels and fisheries of the United 81
Some light is thrown upon the CO
versy between Newfoundland and r
as to the French fisheries at the islaI
St. Pierre and Miquelon, which al
coming such sensational featu
Canadian news Just now. The rigl
American fishermen under the 8
trekties with Great Britain are copsi
rnI- -, r4-lri