New-York tribune., 1890-03-29
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
THE ALASKA SEAL FISHERIES.

DESTRUCTIVE METHODS OF THE PoAcHERs'
TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Your London dispatch In The Tribune OF this
morning in referring to meeting Of the Conservative
members Of Parliament held at the Carlton Club yes
terday says:
difficulty with the United States the Behring sea
question would be settled soon but he said with
such susceptible nation as America. Great Britain
cannot negotiate at the top Of her voice. This re-
mark was greeted with loud laughter.
This Is disngenuous. and II is offensive to the United
States. When England asserts what she believes to
be her right she invariably speaks in loud tones and
generally In harsh tones. She speaks with bated
breath and whispering humbleness' only when she
seeks by diplomatic intrigue by shallow pretence
to encroach upon the rights Of other nations.
The Tribune Of the 10Th clearly sets forth the merits
OF our exclusive rights in the Alaska Seal Fisheries
But there is aspect Of the which do not think
you have fully brought out. In referring to the
method adopted by the British dcpredators Of shooting
or spearng the seals while In the water and on their
way to their rookeres on the Pribilof Islands, you
say "Of those wounded than half are lost
But 1t IS clearly In evidence before committee OF the
House of Representatives which sat last year that by
this destructive method only one In seven on an
average Is secured All the rest sink. Besides
such method tends further to destroy the race by
killing the females well as the males. The only
possible outcome Of such method of capturing fur
seals is the annihatlon Of the species. This Is well
known. 1t is Just as much in violation OF civilized
conduct would be permission granted by the United
States 10 allow fishermen to dynamite on the
banks Of Newfoundland, In which case only one i'll
seven in seventy fish could be recovered The
civilized nations of the globe would Of right protest
against such outrage. The Is Just as clear In
the - of Alaska. II the seals captured other
wise Van the land they will be exterminated. Be
sides the consideration National interest the United
States Government owes it to the whole world TO pre-
vent such disaster The people of Canada know this
and they simply trying, through the diplomatic
agency Of Great Britain to draw the United states into
precedent upon which they may in time force us 70
grant them some sort of tenancy In common on thc
Priblof Islands, which part Of the territory OF the
United States. This Is why Lord salisbury now hnds
it nexpeden for Great Britain to attempt to negotiate
at the top of her voice. and not because his sym
paties touched by the fact that America Is such
a susceptible Nation" There Is no other nation on
the globe whose bearing toward the rest OF the world
is frank and generous as Is that Of the United
States.
Every fishery treaty made with Great Britain
since the Treaty of Peace In 1884 has been productive
of outrage upon the rights of American fishermen ana
for that has been abrogated upon the motion
of the United States. II Is worse than folly 70 az
tempt to repeat the experiment. There is no evil al
tending the whole fishery question which may not be
cured by firm assertion Of our rights, and experience
has abundantly proved that fact. In markets we
hold the key to the whole situation. Reciprocal egs
lation initiated by the United States will cure every
evil connected with rights in the North Atlantic
and in Bchring Sea JOSEPH NlSlMO, JR.
Washington, ID. c., March 81, 1900.