The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-06-01
TOPROTECT THESEAL
Text of the Bill introduced in
England's Parliament.
VIOLATION MEANS FORFEITURE
The Time Limit Has Not Yet Been
Fixed, Hut VIII Be Named by the
Council After the Bill Has Be-
come Naw-Expccted to Pass This
Week.

Council After the Bill Has Be-
come Naw-Expccted TO Pass This
Week.
LONDON, June 1.-The text of the
Behring sea bill introduced into the
house of commons by Mr.. William
Henry Smith, the first lord of the treas
ury, is in substance as follows:
Her majesty the queen may by an or
der in council prohibit the catching of
seals by British ships during a period
to be limited by the order in council.
While the order in council under this
act is in force no person belonging to a
British shipshall kill. take or hunt any
seal within the Behring sea during the
period stated in the order in council.
No British ship or any equipment or
crew thereof shall be employed in such
killing, taking or hunting. If there be
any contravention of this act any person
committing, procuring, aiding or abet-
ting such contravention shall be guilty
of misdemeanor within the meaning of
the merchant shipping act, and the ship
equipment and everything on board
shall be forfeited to her majesty as il
tut OitilSt lttlu Dtttl ullutT
section 1903 of such act, and sections 103
and 10i shall APPLY rs il they were herein
enacted and in terms made applicable to
an offense and forfeiture under this act.
Power to Examine Any British Ship,
Any commissioned officer on the naval
list shall have power during the period
limited by the order in council TO stop
and examine any British ship in the
Behring sea, and to detain her or any
portion of her equipment or any Of her
crew, if in his Judgment the ship is be-
ing or preparing to be used or employed
in contravention of this section.
If British ship is found, within the
Behring sea, having on board fishing or
shooting implements or sealskins or
bodies of seals, it shall lie within the
owner or master of such ship to prove
that the ship was not used or employed
in contrayention of this act.
This act shall apply to the animal
known as the fur seal, and to any ma
rine animal specified in that behalf by
the order in council under this act, and
the expression "seal" in this act shall be
construed accordingly.
The expression ''Behring sea" in this
net means the sea known us Behring sea
within the limits described in the order
in council Under this act.
The expression equipment" in this
act includes any boat, tackle, fishing or
shooting instruments or other things be-
longing TO ship
To Enforce the Law.
In order that the above provisions may
be carried into effect it shall be lawful
for any commissioned officer on full pay
in the military or naval service of her
majesty or any British officer of customs
OF British consular officer, to seize and de-
tninany shipwhich has wholly or as to any
share therein become subject to forfeit
ure as aforesaid and bring her for adju-
dication before the high court of admir-
atty in England or ireland on before any
court having admiralty jurisdiction with
in her majestys dominions, and such
court may thereupon make such order as
it may think fit and award the officer
bringing in the same for adjudication
such portion of the proceeds of the sale
of any forfeited ship Or share as it may
think fit.
Every olfense by this act declared to
be a misdeneanor will be punished by o
fine OF by imprisonment, with or with
out hard labor.
The bill then quotes various sections
of the merchant shipping act as to be
applied by the new order
1t is expected that the bill will be
passed this week, and that afterward
the council will fix the period over
which it is to extend.