Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-18

Fifty-five Vessels Poaching in Behring
Sea all the Season.

d. H. James of the United States cutter Rush
writes from Ounalaska, July &c: special Agent
ii. w. Elliott, who il considered an authority
on seal life, is now on the islands making g
careful examination of the rookeries. He ii
very much surprised ut their condition and
claims that the lease to the North American
Commercial Company will have 70 be abro.
gated for several years at least IL the seals are
TO be preserved. Though they were not as pien.
tifui last year as before there was no such de.
crease as is observable now. The cause as
signed ~ that the sealing feet, which is nov
increased and composed Of larger and better
vessels, has followed the seals closely and pur
sued them so relentlessly along the coast Of
California and British Columbia that they have
turned of in some other direction, possibly to
Copper Islands, on the Siberian coast. The
catch Of the sealing feet outside Bchriug scs
has been phenomenal reaching 80 OOO and
represents about 60, 600 killed and many more
wounded. This slaughter includes females AZ
well as males and has double effect in reduc
ing the number.
ENcoURAGEMENr Of PoAcHERs
The most serious aspect of the problem pre-
sented above Ia furnished by the fact that in
quite number of cases contracts haze been
knowingly made by United States citizens resi-.
dent III San Francisco with seal poachers for q
certain number of seal skins to be delivered
anu paul luz III NiCtOfid, d. u LUIS system MAJ
been In operation for several years. As one
result the North American Commercial Com.
pany finds its take of skins limited to q, 600"
Capt Erskine of the steamer st. Paul, now in
San Francisco, saws: II heard it reported on
good authority when / left Ounalaska that
there were fifty-hve seal poaching craft at
Sand Point, all bound for Behring sea. So far
as have heard not a single attempt has been
made TO seize any contraband vessels The cut
ter Bear ID now in the Arctic and the Rush al
Prybilov Islands. Irepeat that up to the date
OF my leaving Ounalaska l did not know OF q
single seizure having been effected
us there any attempt at Disgusting the char.
acter of the poaching vessels?"
British ensign. But they learn new tricks
every year. When they are in the Pacific they
are sealers; when in Behring sea they are
poachers This poaching business has been GO
ing on about five or six years and has been in
creasng from year to year. Poachers have
most unquestionabiy been encouraged by par
ties in the fur trade from the United States
making contracts in Victoria for skins delivered
in Victoria"
ut is merely matter OF a few years." said
Capt. Erskine, land the Bohrng sea dispute
will settle ITSELF There will be nothing to con-
tond for nothing to arbitrate. Just as the
South sea seal rookeries in the Falklands, Soul tn
Shetlands and Crozets we're depopulated by
wholesale slaughter. so it will be with the seal
islands of Behring sea. The question seems to
have passed beyond the limit of international
arbitration as to mare clausum or anything
else. 1t Is really question as to whether the
fur seal shall become an extinct Species"
Capt Erskine furnishes the following partial
hist Of British Columbia seal poachers, with the
number OF skins taken by each up to July /: