Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-02
BRITISH sEALERs SEIZED.
Action Taken at Port Etches by the Revenr
Steam er Corwfn.

Action Taken at Port Etches by the Revenue
Steamer Corwin.
Verona, B. c., July 2.-The excursion
steamer Queen has arrived at Nanimo from
Alaska confirming the report that twenty-five
sealing schooners flying the British flag, to-
gether with the British steamer Coquillan,
chartered to act as tender to the sealing fleet,
have all been gathered in by Capt. Hooper of
the o. 8. revenue steamer Corwin for violation
OF United States revenue laws.
The Cotontst special says: "The British
steamer Coquillan Of Vancouver, B. G. NC
Clellin, master), arrived at Sitka on June g. in
charge of Lieut.. Quinn and Assistant Engineer
Bretherton and was turned over to the U. s.
collector Of customs for violation of the reve-
nue. laws. The Coquillan was seized by Capt
Hooper at Port Etches, Prince William sound,
on June %, for shaving blank manifests on
board, showing neither cargo nor passengers
and for entering and towing vessels out of the
ports Of Alaska and bringing stores to and re-
ceiying seal skins from the British sealing feet
within the jurisdiction of the United States
without entry or permit.
Her operations were observed by Lieut.. J. B.
Quinn OF the Corwin, who, disguised in citi-
GEMS clothing, had been out to Port Etches for
the purpose Of watching the movements Of the
echooners and steamers. The Coquillan is a
single screw propeller of 160 tons burden, car
rying twelve men and five passengers and had
on board nearly 5000 sealskins, valued at S7O,-
600 besides all stores for the feet She is cleared
by the Union Steamship Company Of Vancouver
and was chartered by the British Columbia
Sealers' Association Of Victoria.
"The twenty-five British schooners we're
boarded in Port Etches, and after being given
reasonable time for weather and repairs, they
were ordered out Of the harbor. The seizure
of the Coquillan leaves all the British sealing
feet in the northern waters without supplies.
The Coquillan is discharging all the seaIakins
which she received from English sealers and
also dischargfng all stocks which she was going
to put on board the sealers when she was taken
in charge.
"The twenty-five schooners and the British
steamer we're in the port Of Etches when the
Corwin came into the harbor and gathered
them in. About all the sealers in Alaskan
waters have been boarded by the Corwin or
other United States war ships forming the pa
troll The Mohican, Ranger, Pinta, Hasler and
Corwin are all In Sitka. The news was
c.p Hooper, sRs .e.io osr' was to s thought Ut
the schooners from their source Of
supplies, thus starving them home This
will not work with many Of them, as they are
QUILTED for the whole season, but few may be
compelled to return.
serious as at first might be supposed. Capt. ].
9. Cox, president Of the Sealers' Association,
says the questions at issue are not affected at
al. The only wrong-doing charged against the
steamer Is Tor going too close to Alaskan soil
to transfer the supplies consigned to the
sealers. OF course she had no manifest,
not expecting to get to any port, nor did she
enter Port Etches as there are no officials of
any government located there. She left port
with q complete store list, however, and COM
piled strictly with other forms. As there could
be no charge against her of attempting to de-
fraud the revenue laws by smuggling goods into
Alaska for sale the boat would not be liable to
confiscation or a more serious penalty upon the
combined charges than fines OF perhaps S2,4OO
The sealskins and other cargo could not be
touched, she not being responsible for the mis-
1t was evident that they had transferred their
catch, as 1t would be more like sixty thousand
than six thousand. A meeting of the asso-
citation may possibly be held during the day to
give attention to the latest developments in the
situation."
No Offfcia1 Notice Received,