The sun., 1891-07-04
or in Pairs.

There is one feature OF tho arrangement
for Behring Sea which our Northern neigh
bors may regard with some distrust. The
war ship Nymphe loft Victoria this week for
| Nanaimo, where she was to meet our cruiser
Mohican, and thence proceed In her COM
pany to tho sealing waters. Next Tuesday
tho British war vessel Pheasant and the
American Alert are expected to leave Vic
toria and make the voyage northward to-
gother. Iftie Marion. the last Of our ves-
! sells to get away from Mare Island for this
| purpose shoGld also have rendezvous with
| the Porpoise, lately ordered north FROM the
China station this would complete the
amicable combinations. British Columbian
vessels are the chief IL not the only ones
likely to bo found In the prohibited waters,
and this journeying and perhaps subse-
qucnt patrolling In pairs must convince them
that the American craft and her Britannia
Majesty's vessels are acting on common
understanding about seizures from which
there is little hope OF escape.
On the other hand, thero are advantages
for the Canadian sealing schooners in this
joint performance OF police duty. One is that
their feelings may be less wrenched when
the notice to quit is received from their own
Government vessels; and they will also be
spared from conjectures as to whether the
alleged modus ripendi is not Yankee trick.
Since the agreement between the two coun-
Aies provides for turning over arrested
vioators Of the law to the custody OF their
own Governments as soon as practicable. it
will be both pleasanter for the Victoria
sealers and less costly for our own Govern
ment to have British war ships at hand to
take charge OF the culprits.
But the main effect OF this harmonious ac-
tion will be To further diminish the chances
that any attempt will be made to disobey the
now Behring Sea regulations. Both the ves-
sci owners in Victoria and the hunters in the
sealing region will read in this concordant
patrol the improbability Of the two Govern
ments being a. cross purposes in executing
the rules they have formed. About the only
safe thing, therefore. that remains to them,
except catching seals south Of the Aeutian
chain, which they can still do both when the
animals are going to the Pribylov Islands
and when they are returning from them, is
to make up their schedules Of the damages
they have suffered by the operation Of the
modus pirendi. The Canadian vessels have
received definite assurances that they will
be compens a:cd by the imperial Govern
ment for any losses thus occasioned. The
Rush, the Bear, the Corwin, and the Thetis
were long ago sent to Behring Sea, SO that
probably not much hunting has yet been
done there. Butagainssthee expenses for out
fits incurred by the Victoria vessels can be set
off the proceeds OF the catch outside OF the
prohibited waters, which this year seems
to have been large. They can have very
little, therefore. to complain OF. with Gov
ernment guarantee to make good their
losses. American private sealing schooners
have no such indemnity to fall back upon.
but the lessees OF the Pribylov Islands will
naturally seek reimbursement for their out
lays. so far as these may not be met by the
skins Of the 1900 food seals allowed them
under the agreement.