Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-12-12
THE ALASKAN SEALS.
In need Of Protection from British
Poachers.

In need of Protection from British
Poachers.
Sheldon Jackson, who was last
spring appointed United States gem
eral agont OF education for Alaska,
having completed his labors has re-
turned to Washington and reported to
Secretary Noble for assignment in the
bureau of education. Mr.. Jackson, in
connection with his mission for his
bureau of education, was also agent
for the census bureau in the capacity
OF enumcrator,
Soon after his appointment he
started for Alaska, and since that time
has directed his attention principally
to Il thorough examination of the con-
dition of the natives, their mode of
living, education, etc. He will soon
begin the preparation OF report on
these subjects, which it is believed will
be one of the most valuable docu-
ments of its kind ever submitted to
the government on the needs and con-
ditions OF Alaska Territory.
Mr. Jackson was on board the reve-
nue. cutter Bear four months, which
enabled him to get at the more mac
cessible portions OF Alaska and to Sc
cure some valuable statistics respect
ing the number of natives now there.
On her voyage the Bear reached a
point as far north as Point Barrow,
where Mr.. Jackson established school
under the supervision of the United
States, and which he says is the
northernmost school in America.
While he Was chiefly interested in
subjects enumerated, Mr. Jackson also
studied the fur seal fisheries. He is
emphatic in his denunciaticn of the il
legal actions Of the British poachers
and the "bulldozing" tactics of the
English government against the
United States.
"If the government of the United
States" he says, "does not immedi.
ately take aggressive measures to pre-.
vent the wanton destruction of fu1
seals. this industry will in a year or SC
be totally exterminated. Last year
the North American Company exc
cuted n contract with the United
States, agreeing to pay the equivalen,
81 100000 annually for the privilege
of taking G1, 900 skins, but were una
BILE to take more than $1,000, Will,
the British poachers swarmed tn,
waters in open defiance of the revenu,
cutters and laws of the United States
and illegally and indiscriminately cap
tured more than $4,000 seals.
"This number, however, only repre-
sents one-fifth of their actual plunder
for while in an endeavor to capture
them under water, the poachers killed
more than 2O5,O00 seals, which they
could not bring to the surface. Tn,
officers of the Bear without orders o.
authority were powerless to do any
thing to prevent the destruction
of seals, and the poachers, in spite o
their presence, continue to kill seals
They are indiscriminately killed, in o.
out of the catching season, and tn,
females were treated with no more con
sideration than the males.
Young seals scarcely able to taxi
care of themselves in the water wer,
maliciously killed. They were no
taken from the rookeries by tn,
poachers, as demanded by the contrac
of the legitimate company payini
enormously for the privilege, but wer,
killed by carbines, directed by Indians
in canoes, under the protection o
English cruisers. 1t is absolutely
necessary that the United States
should send our navy into these water,
to size every English poaching vesse
found within the three mile limit lille
gally killing off the remaining seals.
"Three years ago the rookeries a
this season of the year were blacl
with breeding seals, while now ther'
are scarcely any OF them, and, if moth
ing is done to protect the seals, in I
little more than year they will have
been totally exterminated. 1t ma.
appear strange, but it is nevertheless.
true, that young seals, soon after thei
birth, if put in water will drown jus
like other animals naturally thrivin.
on terra firma.
al noticed that Secretary Blaine, il
his recent correspondence with Lort
Salisbury On fur seal dispute, callet
his attention to the fact that tn
English government exercised an ex
elusive monopoly of the pearl industr.
on the Pearl Islands off the coast o
India. How long do You suppos'
they would allow or any one else t.
reap the benefit of this industry. " onl.
long enough" he concluded, "to dis
patch their big cruisers to thes
waters and sieze and hold for damages
every poaching vessel found reapinl
the benefits of their monopoly"
A Review Of the Victory.