The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-27
THE BEHREN8 SEA SEAs0x

THE AEHRINU AEA bEAs0x
A Jsi.S Patrol Thsa Mas Proved Har,se-
nisus. ana Has Resulted In Many wasr-
inss and = Few 6eisures.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 2a-with tho return Of
the American and British Commissioners
from Behrine Sea. and tho withdrawal also Of
the war vessels Of the two Governments. the
FIRST season Of the Joint policing OF the Alas
kan seal waters has practically come to an end.
The revenue cutters may linger a little longer
around the Islands, since raids purposely be-
lated have boon made there In some former
seasons. But tho Marion and the Alert are al
ready OF to China: the Mohican and Thetis
are on their return to San Francisco while thu
British vessels Nymphc Porpoise and Pheag-
ant are also out Of tho seq.
1t appoars that. exclusive OF othcr vessels
engaged In those waters. about ninety sealors
went to Dohring Sea. A few arc known to havo
escaped attention. but about lvo out Of six
wore duly warned. and six vessels were seized
Tor falling to respect tho warning, or other
wise violating tho law. It is noticeable fact
that four out OF the six were American vessels.
tho other two belonging to Victoria OF the
American vessels. ono was seized by Russia
off Copper Island
Various excuses nrc alleged by tho seized
vessels. The British schooner T. b. Marvin
says that the warniHg she received looked sus-
plcious. the signature Of Sir Julian Pauncefote
giving his name as William: and altogether she
lelt Justified IN going In search of u British
cruiser to find out tho facts. which she was do
Ing whom arrested. The other British schooner,
tho Otto. says that she had never been on
cially warned. although the Captain of a Brit
ish war vessel says he had requested the Col.
icctor at Victoria to notify hcr before leaving
tnat port, and accordingly he asked the Mo-
Moan to seize her. One Of tho American ves-
sells says that she was seized Immediately
aitor being warned. because ono Of her crew
ireo at u bottle or some similar object on the
water. and not at q seal. SO tho excuses run on.
tria G aeFTee OF their validity will appear at tho
hut the Main inSs iast brought out by this first
agreement Is the harmony with which tie
4sc ThdP Bsh Of hs S S .ss
sought to aid them In their work, as in the case
81 tho otto Just spoken Of. The American
aors ~ BssS the
ox That I'll, the two sets Of Commissioners. how
nTse veeS sfrensy
Baden Powe nnd htp ag%s %h9 a GS% n
PrbSdmu IR sanJsd 1y with thS
R1obbls in tie aospstchss This the a hRae
S' sT agreement permitted the taking OF only
eoSss seals Ais on tho islands Of St Paul and
The ths rs have actually killed goo
S w seSr praStes
hS IS %r 81 h sha Il
aa iSUy nad been taken prior to the going into
deliberate ov Sioat tnse ~ tho 20
1hw Is also. Of course. out OF the question.
mept q the number q skins shipped. I but The
Ehrssees w sd%axSsf il
Any Rap at the IN seas Pssndss
President Harrison himself xed 75o sea as ' tho
BtsS and that h
Judging much food the s reaupe g.
tt'ef say that this
whether before or after the news s e ef the
II sIn v' sSaMg and that number
whole catch Of the season. But our GoVer ne
took int that %isht
the M
they had not boon disposed OF elsewhere under
contracts. It is certainly the fact that our
0W sna len did not seize skins taken in Beh
ing called for by the mod,ts vspendi
Altogether it rs not likely that any difference
the success Of the new arrangement, Should
i De renewed for another. year It would IN
the Islands would be Kept down to the 1866
seals mentioned In tho agreement The pri-
OF before the announcement Of the n,odus
c,rsnd,; Will have warning at their home ports,
Of Behrne Sea Under the per Of ve %1I s sTpSn
treatment should they enter the forbidden
waters. Perhaps RUSSIA may by that time Join
very great reduction next season from the az
greeate Of skins taken during the present sea-
OF the operation Of the agreement has been
reasonably successful. and tho interest Of the
private sealing vessels will hcnceforth be add
cd to that Of tho two governments to secure a
prompt settlement OF the whole question.