The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-15
SEIZED sEA1sK1Ns At AUCTION
Prospects or Lively Times this Tesr TOR
the Cutters and the Ponchers.

| Prospects or Lively Times this Hesr Tor
the Cutters aud The Ponchers'
WASHINGTON, May 14-The sale OF cap
tured fur sealskins which United states Mar
shal Orville T. Porter announces for SATURDAY
taken together with the ordering OF the Corwin
to aid the Bear and the Rush In polelnR
Behrlng Sea, indicates that the Government
| will continue its existing policy In those
waters pending the negotiations for the Settle
ment OF the seal controversy. The force oil
revenue and other vessels in Alaskan waters
will be stronger than ever before. and IT Is
fair presumption that the arrests ana connsca-
tions will be at least rs frequent AZ In any pre-
vious year.
The 2.470 sealskins now to be sold to the
highest bidder were captured last year by the
Rush from Blk vessels, the Black diamond
the Minnie, the Pathfinder the James 6.
Swan. the Juanita, and the Lilly. All Of these
were from British Columbia, except the Swan
which was OF Port Townsend. According to
the accounts ut the time, on tho Pathfinder
600 skins were taken: on tho Minnie S43;
on the Lilly 800: on the Black Diamond
1OS; on tho Juanita, 600; on the swan, 235.
However. only 2,470 were brought away on the
Rush, and these are the ones to be sold on
Saturday. No other course Is open to the
Government. Even should 1t be adIudGed to
have no right to seize vessels engaged In
hunting seals at distance OF more than three
miles from the land, yet, since 1t would BIO
liable to indemnify the owners, IL may rs we'll
sell the skins. Besides. the law provides for
this disposition OF confiscated property. and
until some other arrangement with Great
Britain 10 reached the existing statutes should
undoubtedly be enforced.
The indications are that the present will be
busy season for the poachers. Last year. al
though the Rush only seized the six vessels
already named she chased perhaps thirty or
forty and actually boarded fifteen. Nine OF the
latter, after being searched, were allowed to 80
without seizure. either because the skins were
successfully concealed or because they seemed
to have been taken long enough before to JUS
tify assertions that they we're not obtained
within Behrng Sea One such vessel was the
Maggie Mac. which. after being examined and
released by the Rush, took back TO Victoria
1890 skins. The Beatrice which returned
with 700 skins, saw nothing OF the Rush.
Tho Annie q. Moore. with $500 skins.
tho Mary Ellen with 1000. the Favorite with
loo. and the Viva with 1000. were others that
made safe voyages. The Ariel on being
boarded. pretended that 1t had caught It's
skins outside OF BehrinR Sea- and was allowed
to go. as was also the Theresa, which had 825
skins. Tho Sapphire. with tho great catch OF
about 1880 skins; the Maria de las Cruces
with 800 skins the Kate with $50, the Seattle
schooner Henry Dennis with 400, and the ]. II.
Lewis Of the latter port brought homo their
oarGoes safely In short, only a small fraction
OF the poaching vessels suffered any serious
loss from the Rush. and under these circum-
stances the owners will be tempted to try their
luck again.
1t has been said that one firm at Victoria
shipped at the end OF last season $4,000 seal
CHI I'M nj aI e1 nh oh 20 nod
captured; another shipped 1000 skins. valued
at $4,000. II one vessel is seized another may
escape. and where firm employs several the
total result may be a success even with some
losses. Much capital Is invested in the bust
ness. and the Victoria people engaged In it
were we'll enough satisfied with last years re-
suits to negotiate for the purchase OF at least
two American sealing schooners for transfer to
their port. 1t is certainly significant that the
Pathfinder. which was captured last year and
proceeded to Victoria contrary to orders. was
this year. The Ocean Belle left Halifax for
Victoria some mouths G ago to engage In the
ssa s Allie TIE GHPn Of she me
ago that his schooner and many others were
fitting out for Behring Sea. The very doubt as
be Tx ieey to nduee the oWnGfs 81 the yosses to
take the chances OF poaching. Besides. some
Indemnify for seizures: at least, as is well
known. large claims for damages have been
made against the United States Government.
Under these circumstances We may probably
look for large number Of poacherS in BehrinG
sea this year. II the Treasury Department
should send there the Bear. Lush, and Corwin.
the Navy Department might still need TO
help them with the Alert. the Thetis. the Pinta.
or the Ranger. But. few or many. their work
will be done more thoroughly The officers of
the Rush feel that they were treked last year
scrupuious on the point OF telling the truth
and Keeping their word, The poachers justify
this conduct BY saying that they were dealing
with pirates. The Rush and other Govern
ment vessels will probably take no such
chances this year.
Meanwhile, should the controversy be settled.
warning can be given to the British poachers |
instead OF con1scatnR their vessels. Our Gov |
ornament is evidently aiming to secure not an
acknowledgment OF Its ownership Of BehrinR
Sea. but mutual agreement for close season
OF pelagic scaling Should killing seals: except |
on tho land. be made unlawful from June to
September this would not interfere with the
monopoly enjoyed by the lessees OF the Priby;
Low and Commander Islands, and yet it would |
the close season would include the very time |
when the animals visit BehrnG Sea.