Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-06-21
ALASKA FISHERIES.

ALASKA FISHERIES.
 The seal fisheries of Alaska is at pres ent a theme of much discussion by British and American statesmen Behring Sea is the home of the fur-bsar- ing seal, and to-day is almost the only source from which the world is supplied Such being the case, it IS quite natural that seal pirates are to be be found along the northern coast, making occasional onslaughts on the seal rookeries, and otherwise harrassing those who have ob- tained a le.se of these fisheries from cur government. For years and year the Northern Pacific has been ren- dezvous of seal pirates, who are to-day carrying on their nefarious trade in such an open and methodical manner, that the United States have been compelled tU send steam cutters in that direction for the protection of this industry. Last summer they seized and lowed number of British schOouers into Puget Sound, and sold them with their entire cargo, at auction. This aroused the fro of the British Columbia Parliament, who straightway made complaint to the Home Government, demanding satisfac- tion or compensation for their losses. It is needless to say they got neither. Victoria, British Columbia, Is a port from whence almost all these sealing schooners start on their marauding expe- ditions. They lie in that harbor during the winter monJhs-scores of them and in the spring are fitted out with provisions and ammunition sufficient for seasons cruise; they are manned by Indian crews, belonging to the Hydah and:.Bella Cools trlbes-men not ed for their hardihood and thieving capacity-and in the summer months these little vessels may be seen dodging around the seal islands of Behring Sea, making raids on the seal rookeries when ever chance permits. No one knows better than the British seal poacher that he is pirate in every senso of the word; he even admits the fact himself, and laughs in his sleeve at the efforts of Uncle Sam to suppress hun; he is even encouraged in his unlawful pursuit by British officers, who openly declared last season that henceforth seal fishers would receive government protection. Such being the case, 1t is little wonder that year after year UT waters are teem- defiance to American laws. That the seal question will eventually "settle its- self, is foregone conclusion to any man who has seen the manner in which the seals ara Slaughtered. For every seal captured by pirates, ten are killed and lost. They are slaughtered at sea in open boats, by Indian hunters, WI O indiscriminately shoot both the female and her young, the most of whom sink before they can be secured. If Behring sea is to be an "open" sea to all, then it would be far better to remove restrictions from hunting on the seal islands, and thus secure all that are killed It is esti- mated that over 75,0O0 seals are lost every season by nomadic pirates, who shoot at everything in sight; it would to some extent restrict seal capture to the breeding islands, and save the utter ex- termination of this valuable mammal The ''poaching industry" of the north has to-day assumed vast propor tions. The sealers has even defed the U. s cutters to capture them; they have chartered steamers to cruise about the sealing grounds, relieve each schooner of her burthen, and proceed herewith to Victoria, where the spoils will be safe. Last summer they openly declared that they would adopt line of policy for 1890 that would ensure safe and profitable returns from the seal fisheries of Alaska, and it will thus be seen that their boast is not an idle one. They have employed steamers that can outspeed both the Rush and Bear, and northern waters this summer, they might as we'll be at home. We will have to make the pirates of John Bull un- derstand that they have no right in Beh- ring Sea, or it will be very short time before the seal skins of Alaska will be as scarce as those of the buffalo today