The record-union., 1891-01-19
BEHRING SEA.
The Appeal to the Supreme Court Not
an Act of DiScourtesy.

an Act of DiScOurteSy.
New YORK, Jan. 1S.-A London spe-
cial says: Rumors are afioat of some
addressed by Blaine to Lord Salisbury on
account of proceedings being taken to the
Supreme Court. Nothing seems to be
known about it in official circles. If
such a dispatch has been received,
Lord Salisbury is keeping it to himself
until Tuesday next, when there will be a
Cabinet meeting TO arrange the course of
business for Parliament.
1.-The Government is in a position, 1
understand, to dispose quickly of any
charge brought against it of a
desire to steal march on the
United States in the Behring Sea negotia-
tions. or of treating the Secretary of State
with discourtesy. Those who are ac-
quainted with the facts are confident that
when the people on both sides of the At
lantic hear the truth they will see that
the British Ministry could not have
acted otherwise than it has done. 1t
will be denied altogether that Salisbury
suggested the application to the Supreme
Court. The proceedings were taken on
the responsibility and initiative of Can
ada, the ministry here concurring, and
did not imagine for moment that the
fensive construction upon them.
1T is maintained that an appeal to the
highest American court for a settlement
of the points of law involved in the inter-
national dispute shows the utmost con-
dence In that court, and therefore cannot
reasonably be regarded as an act of dis
courtesy toward the President. The
question will no doubt be brought before
Parliament as soon as the papers are laid
on the table,
CAPTAIN TERRY's OPINION ON THE SUB
JECT.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-Captain G. r.
Ferry, whose vessel was captured in
Behring Sea, and which affair was made
the basis for the suit in the United States
Supreme Court by the British Govern
ment, is in Washington.
Captain Ferry left Victoria, B. c., a
week ago last Monday, in response to a
telegram from the British Minister here
saying that his presence was needed in
Washington. A few hours after his arri-
val counsel for the British Government
were making a motion in the Supreme
Court. If the Attorney-General had sug-
gested that it was necessary that the Cap
tain of the vessel should be present, Cap
tain Ferry would have been produced with
dramatic celerity. AS he was not called,
the British Consul did not make his pres
ence known. He has kept himself Sc
cluded in the Ebbitt House ever since.
He will not go home until it is certain
that his attendance here is no longer nec-
essary.
To a Post reporter Captain Ferry diff
fered emphatically from the Treasury
agents and the State Departments posi-
ton in the alleged decrease in the num-
Der of seals. He says that instead of de-
creasing they are increasing. He saw
more seals last summer than he had ever
seen before in the Northern Pacific
Ocean and Behring Sea.
He also makes another very interesting
statement. He says that the seals, re-
turning to the rookeries, are, in the case
of the females, laden with young. If
these female seals are allowed to enter
Behring Sea and deliver their young the
perpetuation of race is assured. If, how
ever, the United States forbids the killing
of seals in Behring Sea, the sealing ves-
sells would simply take their position at
the outer entrance to the sea, by the
Aleutian Islands, and kill the animals,
thus destroying the young and old to-
gether. In other words, to kill seals in
the North Pacific Ocean, where there is
no possible question of restriction, means
the destruction of the species, while the
killing of seals in Behring Sea, after the
period of maternity has passed, means
perpetuation of the species.
Captain Ferry says that the seals are
found in schools of about thirty, and only
two, or rarely three, can be killed before
the rest escape. At this rate, he says, the
seals can never be exterminated.