The morning call., 1892-07-02
A Steamer and Twenty-Five Sehooners
Captured by the COrWin.
CAUSES GREAT EXCITEMENT AT VICTORIA
SaTal officer Disguised as Citizen Secures Con.
elusive EVidenee-The Seal POaeherS
Dumbfounded.
6pecisl to The MORNING CALL.

VICTORIA, B. c., July 1.-The excursion
steamer Queen, Captain James Carroll, ar
rived at Nanaimo from Alaska, bringing
word that 25 sealing schooners flying the
British flag, together with the English
steamer Coquitam, chartered to act as
tender to the sealing fleet, have all been
gathered into camp by Captain Hooper OF
the United States revenue steamer Corwin
for violation Of the United States revenue
laws.
The British steamer Coquitiam of Van
couver, Il. c., Mcclellan master, says Colo
mist special, arrived at Sitka on June 26 in
charge of Lieutenant Quinn and Assistant
Engineer BrothertoD, and was turned over
to the United States Collector of Customs for
violation Of the revenue laws. The CGauit-
lam was seized by Captain Hooper at
Port Etchee. Prince Williams Sound, on
the 22d of June for having blank manifests
on board showing neither cargo nor passen-
gers. and for entering and towing vessels
out of the ports of Alaska and dividing the
stores and receiving the sealskins from the
British sealing feet within the jurisdiction
of the United States without entry or
permit.
Her operations were observed by Lieu
tenant j. III. Quinn Of the Corwin, who. dis
guised in citizens clothing had been sent to
Port Etchee for the purpose of watching the
movements of the schooners and steamer.
The Coquitlam is single-screw pro-
peller Of 160 tons burden. carrying IL men
and five passengers. and had on board nearly
5000 sealskins, valued at $4,000, besides all
tie stores for the feet.
She Is owned by the Union Steamship
Company Of Vancouver, and was chartered
by the British Columbia Sealers' Associa-
tion of Victoria. The % British schooners
were boarded in Port Etehee. and after being
given reasonable time for water and repairs
they we're ordered out of the harbor. The
seizure of the Coquitlam leaves all the
British sealing feet in northern waters
without any supplies.
The Coautlam Is dischareing the
sealskins, which she received from the
English sealers. and is also discharging all
the stores which she was going to put on
board the sealers when Captain Hooper
took her in charge.
The % schooners and the English steamer
were having fine picnic when the Corwin
came into the harbor and gathered them
all in.
About all the sealers in Alaskan waters
have been boarded by the Cerwin or the
other United States warships forming the
patrol. The MOhican, Ranger. Pinta, Has
ler and COrwin are all in Sitka.
The news contained in the dispatch came
as q great and decidedly unpleasant sur
prise to VictOrians who heard it to-day.
Captain ]. q. Cox, president of the Sealers'
Association. looks upon Captain Hooper's
action as simply and solely a move for The
purpose of cutting off the sehooners from
their source of supply, starving them home.
This win not tell with good many of the
feet, as they are outftted for the whole sea-
son. few, however, may be driven short
Of supplies and compelled to return. The
seizure itself. the CAPTAIN says. does not ap-
pear to be as serious as at first might be
supposed.
Captain j. S. Cox. president of the
Sealers' Association. says the question at
issue is not affected at ALL The only wrong
doing charged against the steamer is for
going too close to Alaska soil to transfer
the supplies consigned to the seaers. Of
course she had no manifest not expecting
to get to any port, nor dd she enter Port
Etchee, as there are no officials Of any Gov
ernment located there.
She left port with complete store list,
however. and complied strictly with the
against her of attempting to defraud
the revenue laws by smuggling goods
into Alaska, for sale. the boat would not be
liable to confscation, or . more serious
penalty upon the combined charges, than
fines OF perhaps S240O.
The sealskins and other cargo could not
be touched. not being responsible for the
misdoings of the schOoners any more than
the consignments Of lawful merchandise on
the Michigan for her opium-smuggling
transactions.
As TO the schooners 1t was evident that
they had transferred their catch. as it would
be more like 10000 than 6000. The captain
expects full particulars in the mat
ter on the arrival of the Queen
this morning. and a meeting of the associa-
tion may possibly be held during the day to
give attention to the latest developments in
the situation.