Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-06
Seal Catching.


Special to the Gazette
WASHINGTON. May 81 am informed
that Secretary Blaine's proposal for total
suppression of seal catching within
Behring sea will be formally commune
Gated to Minister Pauncefote by Wednes-
day, at the latest. Not the least interest
ing circumstance connected with this new
departure in our Behring sea policy. is the
direct and active part played III 1t by Pres
ident Harrison, Notwithstanding his tenn
porary absence from Washington. ! am
assured that it is due to the presidents de-
ciSive Judgment and instructions that the
British government is now to be invited to
join with the United States in stopping the
further killing of fur seals in the waters
and Islands of the Behring sea upon terms
equally fair to both parti eS. So little had
the presidents course been anticipated
that the lessees of the Pribylor islands had
made all their arrangements for IA busy
season of seal slaughter. Their vessels,
supplies and working force are all ready to-
start from San Francisco. The treasury
agent who was to supervise and tally their
catch Of seals had been designated and or
dereu to proceed from his eastern station
Says<sh Francisco to take passage for the
'HfSHdS The fact that the president has de-
termined to face pecuniary loss to
GOVERNMENT LESSEES
and natives of the islands. and accompany
dictates the sericns view he takes OF the
consequence of an unsettled policy and an
unrestricted pursuit of SealSkinS in Bearing
Sea this year 1t is presumed that Lord
Salisbury and colleagues will not fail to
perceive and appreciate the convincing evil
denceS of good faith and conciliatiOu i'm
Piled in President HmrisonS tender of
modus viviendi. by which the the govern
ment and citizens of the United States will
be subjected TO pccuniary losses. Besides
this loss TO the British Columbian sealing
interests must appear as intonsiderable.
More than this, the proposal about to be
made to the British government carries
with il the virtual abandonment by our
government of Its
LONG FOUGHT CLAIMS.
TO an exceptional position and control n
Behring sea with regard to the seal fishery
Should the moduS Vivendi now projected
by President Harrison be effected there
would be ne further delay in accepting the
British proposal of last year for an investi-
CATION of the seal fishery by either Il joint
or mixed commission of experts. Conse-
quent upon the report of such a commission
there would be Il convention by the mari
time powers for future regulation OF the
fishery, and the placing of it under the
sanction of international law.
WHEN THE MCKINLEY BILL
was passed with proviso eXacting n duty
of u cents on lead ore, it was the expecta-
ton of owners OF argentiferous property
that they would enjoy a monopoly of sale
i'll the United States. The men who owned
smelling works in the West were opposed
by mine owners of the Northwest, which
procured the insertion of the clause pro-
viding that ''silyer ores and all other ores
containing lead shall pay duty of = cents
per pound for lead contained therein, ac-
cording to the sample and assay at the port
of entry
Western silver miners are not satisfied
with the low rate at which the Mexican
ores are admitted and have raised the point
that such ores should be classified rs lead
ores, when containing certain per centage
of lead.
UNDER THE LAW.
as now being administered. Mexican ores
are paying about ST per ton of 2O00 pounds,