St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-25
Their Total determination
Threatened by the Seal
POacherS in the Beh-
ring Seas.
A Great Kick by the Lessees
of the Islands Of st.
George and st.
Paul.
Prompt and Decisive ActioD
Demanded of the United
States Govern
ment.
A Record Of Over 100000
Female Seals Slaughtered
and Their Young
Left to Die.

In the recent debate III the English
house of commons upon the Behring
sea correspondence it was said that the
claim of the United States that Cana.
dian poachers were DISCRIMINATING the
seals was untrue. The statement coin-
cideS with the declaration of Lord Sails.
bury in the corr espOndence with Secre-
tary Blaine that the pelagic fishing OF
these poacherS is not damaging to seal
life. The facts officially reported. how
ever, leave both declarations without
leg to stand upon. Capt. Erskine. foi
many years employed by the Alaska
Commercial company, arrived at San
Francisco from Ounalaska on the 18TH
inst with personal documentary evil
denee which cannot be questioned
of the destruction of seals by
poachers. He furn ishes lisI
of twenty-three British Columbian
poachers, with the number of skins cap.
tured by each up to July 1. The total
amounts to 1871, and is swelled to
10000 by the list of ''unassorted
catches" This represents slaughter
of $4,000, as on the average one seal ir
three, if not more, when the animals are
shot at from boats, escapes and SUISSE
QueDtly dies. Up to the present year
the Alaska company has been allowed
to take 100000 seals per annum. Thii
year the government cont ract allow
only 60, to be taken. The actua
catch ha been only $1,000. Why? Be
cause the pOaeherS have so cut dow
the number of seals frequentins
the Pribyloff islands that only
bout 0ne-fourth the ordinary number
has gone there this year. When Capt
Erskine left Ounalaska there were fifty.
five vessels, each bearing the British
flag, all bound for Behring sea. These
poachers will slaughter thousands more
in the waters around the islands-thou
sands of female seals, be it remembered.
seeking food for their young, or soon to
give birth to them. Such are the gen
eral results of six years poaching.
The statements made by Capt. Er.
skine have been confirmed by the fiji
GERS of the cutter Rush and by the Pres
ident of the North American CONNER.
cial company, the new lessee of Priby'
loft Islands. The latter says:
have been in the business for twenty
years. and predict that il Behrng sea is no
closed to the sealers of all nations during
July, August and September at least, fur
seals will soon be found only in museums
Any one will realize that complete extermi
nation will soon come wnen the terribly de
st1uctive methods of the sealers are shown.
Practically every seal taken by the poacher
is a female soon to give birth to its young,
and only one out of six that are shot is taken
Thus the 1900 ,lstaSen by the poaeher;
up to July l of this year means nearly 10O.-
200 females killed, with as many young
ones.
The females reach the rookeries where they
IrrIxv nh
female gives birth to one pup, young and
helpless. Until September the females visit
the fishing banks, fifty miles away, to secure
food, making the distance in about an hour.
The poacherS operate here largely, and the
young of those that are killed perish on the
islands We are allowed to Kill only the
bachelors on the islands, and we give bond
OF S5U000u that we will kill no females.
Thus the government reqniresa payment for
each male skin taken and lets the poachers
kill the females free of charge.
1t is needless TO multiply evidence on
this point. The fur seal pOachers are
masters of the situation. The contract
of the Commercial company is profitless
because of poaching. In a short time a
great industry will be wiped out and
there will be nothing to contend for in
Behring sea, because the seal Islands
will be depOpulated and the seal rock
cries as field of industry and profit
ing will result in the practical seizure
of a privilege which legally and equi-
tally belongs to this country. Great
Britain will add to its audacity assaults
upon the motives of this country and
its secretary of state, and offensive and
tauntS that the policy OF the
latter is based upon the eXigencieS of
domestic politics. These ill-bred and
allegations the administration
has not the courage to re-
sent.
The bluff of Lord Salisbury that Eng
land would hold the United States le-
sponSible for the consequences of inter-
fering with the Canadian seal pea ,hers
has done its perfect work with scared
and left the pOachers
free to do as they please. They will
soon settle the question by leaving moth
ing for the two countries to contend
about. There is one man. however,
who would have told my Lord Salisbury
to do his worst. If Mr.. Blaine had or
dered revenue cutters to seize pOacherS
he would have stuck to his orders in
spite of English bluff and bombast.
These facts have caused great furry
in New York among the dealers, and
skins have advanced So per cent again,
and the whole market is demOralized.
NO Hldtler now tlilS indtter 10 duy uoteu,
one thing is certain. that seals will adj
vance each year. Such dealers as had
sand" last spring. and purchased lib
orally. have hit it this year. Ransom &
Horton. of this city. probably were the
largest buyers in the market, and have
about 100000 in Seal Skins and Gar
ments, which they purchased in Feb
ruary, and as long as they last will give
heir customers Seal Goods at last years
prices. Later OH the prices, OF course,
will be raised. Now is the time to get
IN your order or select your Garment.