The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-19
A KICK OVER THE SEALS.
ENGLAND CLAIMS VIOLATION OF
THE AGREEMENT.

Americans Accused of Killing More
Than the 1900 Stipulated - The
commercial Company Claims That
the Excess Were Killed Before the
Agreement Went Into Effect.
WASHINGTON. Sept. is. - Sir Julian
the attention Of the department of state to
the alleged violations of the modus vivendi
respecting the maximum number of seals
to be taken in Bering sea.
The officials of the department of state
decline positively to make any statement
respecting the alleged breach of agreement
or even to admit that any protest had been
fled The British minister and his secre-
saries are absent from Washington and
no Information could be cleaned In that
quarter. But there are the best reasons for
the belief that the matter at issue is not of
a serious nature or one that threatens TO
disturb the progress of the negotiations
looking to arbitration, although It's interpo>
sition at this stage may result in further
delaying the settlement OF the question that
the President very much desires to bring
speedily to a conclusion.
BASIS OF THE COMPLAINT.
Undoubtedly Sir Julian Pauncefotes
note was based upon representations made
to him by Sir George Baden Powell and
Mr.. Dawson, the British commissioners
who we're sent to Bering sea to watch the
seal fisheries in the interest of their govern
Inent, Under the terms of the modus
vivendi signed by the representatives OF the
two governments, the sealing company
was permitted to catch 1850 seals this
year. 1t actually caught 1900. It SETS
olair, tbof t,ad
ber previous to June 10. the date on
which the agreement was signed, but not
more than z 800 after that date. The
British view appears to be that $500 skins
were to be taken in the entire season, while
the other view Is that 1850 might be taken
after the signature.
LONDON TIMES COMMENTS
LONDON, Sept. Accommodating upon
two articles on the Bering sea sealing ques-
tion published in its columns, tho Times
calls the Americans claims preposterous.
1t says: Their action is arbitrary and
high handed. Their arguments as far
as they can be put into intelligible
shape, are worthy of the most
rigid school of British game preservers.
The seal is wild animal and there will
never be any danger Of its determination
by hunting on the high seas. The denger
comes from excessive slaughter when the
Americans choose by indiscriminate slaugh-
ter to destroy their own industry we
are helpless; but they cannot
be allowed to monopolize the
seals by claiming property in the high seas
and their contents. If they will SHOW a
reasonable spirit of compromise it will be
good thing to come to an arrangement not
for a close season, which is inappropriate to
the conditions of the case, but for closure
during the baeeding season Of an area of
perhaps twenty miles round the breeding
grounds
AMERICAN IGNORANCE
The Times says that it is unfortunate
that Americans are equally ignorant of the
English facts in the case. Their Journals
rarely trouble themselves to do justice to
England, and are carefully and sYStematic-
ally misled by interested parties Accurate
information is accessible to any one wishing
LOT 1t, since an elaborate report was issued
oy the census department in 1884,
before the matter was involved in dense
clouds OF prejudice. But most of the allu.
slons to the question appearing In America
entirely ignore the officially authorized con-
ciuslon based on careful study, aiming only
70 serve the interests of the Alaska CONNER
cial Company" After detailing the
manner of the companys opera
tlons, the Times says: "All this
lucrative business is entirely in the COM
peuys hands. British seaerS never ap-
proacA the sacred breeding grounds. 1t is
open sea gleanings which the Americans
ehdeavor to stop by asserting their prepos-
ferrous territorial rights"
EXTINCTION DENIED.
One OF the Times correspondents de-
scrloes the sealing industry throughout, and
comoats the reports of the American ex-
perts In regard to the extinction of the seal.
ne says that all tho masters iu the sealing
neet when intervie wed testified that there
was no diminution in the number, but that
the seals were harder to catch, being more
wary. After the end of May hardly any
COW seals with young were taken, proving
that capture from boats is not calculated t.
retard the natural increase. The corresponds
ent suggests a close time for an ares of
twenty miles from the end Of May uutil the
nrst of December, as the mother seal feed
within that radius during the breeding
ume. The correspondent thinks that the
question how many should be killed ON the
Islands should be decided by commission
or practical men.
sCHooNERs WITH CATCHES
VICTORIA, B. c.. Sept. lS-Tne schooners
Venture, Wanderer and Pioneer retarned
from Berlng sea yesterday, all with good
catches: On Aug. the Venture was chased
by the 1hetis, but fog springing up. She
was enabled to elude the warship. The
schooner Wanderer was ordered to leave
the sea by the Marion. Tho Pioneer was
not molested by any of the Berinr sea
patrol sou