Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-13

OF the true state Of the sealing industry in an
undisputsd form. This commission consists oil
Tour members. two from the United States. ont
from Great Britain and one from Canada
They we're appointed by their respective gov
srnments last spring and instructed TO visit
Alaska independently to investigate the con-
eition Of things in Bering sea, to ascertain
shs approximate numbers and yearly habits
Of the seal, and to estimate whether
shs promiscuous hunting that is
carried on each season is tending to their ex-
termination These and some other collateral
questions were examined with great care by
sach side. and the object of the present con-
ference Is to bring these independent observa-
Mons together and to formulate report that
viii constitute what Is termed in law a finding
Of fact for presentation to the tribunal Of ar
bitration that is to be formed.
These commissioners are Profs. T. C.sMen-
denhan and C. ii. Merriam for the United
States and Sir George Baden-Powen and DIR.
George VI. Dawson for Great Britain and Can
ada They had never met before Monday last,
when they were brought together at the Airing
ton Hotel and introduced. Last summer they
conducted their Alaskan Investigations upon a
revenue vessel of the United States and Great
Britain, respectively, and did not have occa-
sion 70 encounter each other during the season.
In fact, il was felt to be desirable that they
should work In this way, so that they could get
es many individual views a. possible upon the
subject
VOW A JOINT COMMISSION.
They have now been constituted joint COM
nissioners by virtue Of orders from each gov
eminent and will probably continue in session
In this city for several weeks They meet behind
closed doors in a small room in the State De-
partnlent, between the Office of the chief clerk
and that which was formerly occupied by
Assistant Secretary Moore and more recently
the official home OF Gen. John w. Foster, the
agent Of the State Department in the uegotia-
ton OF the reciprocity arrangements. He has
also been placed in charge OF the diplomatic
end Of the conferences on behalf Of the United
States. Sir Baden-Powell is regarded as con-
siderable of diplomat and the services of q
man experienced in international fencing have
been deemed necessary.
There Is to be no formal organization of this
Joint commission and no one member is to be
designated as its head The process of discus
sion viii require little or formality in the
sessions. as the results to be obtained are
largely In the nature of compromise view of
the situation, and it will be necessary to pro-
lstins and advancing certain propositions that
VIII be accepted or rejected by the other.
WHAT UNCLE SAM CONTENDS
It 10 the general program of the United
States to insist that pelagic sealing without
restriction Is unnatural and inadyisable and
that it is tending to the determination Of the
species. The British claim is opposed to this
danger OF the destruction of the seals. and that
the fairest system IS q catch-as-catch-can sea-
son without limit beyond that imposed by tho
climate. As to this latter point the United
States urges the adoption OF an international
rule for a closed season, with time limits SO
defined that the hunting shall be conducted
only when the seals are not breeding.
This, in general. Is the question TO be settled
by the commission. That greater and
eventually more vital point of whether or not
the Bering sea is mare clausa or closed sea
within the exclusive jurisdiction OF the United
States VIII doubtless be left to The arbitrators
10 settle Ii is point less of fact than of
theory, and more Of argument than Of investi-
CATION II Is aproblenl in geography, matter
OF terminaloSy and q dispute in precedents, in
combination
The BRITISH coNNIssIoSRRa
The senior member of the British commits
sion is Sir George Smith Baden-Powell, NJ p.
T. G. NJ G.. f. r s. s., &c, &c He is COM