St. Paul daily globe., 1892-07-03
a Vancouver Supply Steamer
and Twenty-Five Others
Rounded Up.
Only the Carrier of Supplies
Is Held and Turned Over
at Sitka.
British Sealing Fleet Left
With Empty Larders in
Many Cases.
Secretary Foster Has Little
to Say While Waiting the
Official Report.

VICTORIA, July 2.-The news of the
seizure of the British supply steamer
CoquillOn and twenty-five Canadian
seaIers is confirmed. TOday's Colonist
has the following special from Nanai-
mok:
The Coquillon of Vancouver, Nc
Clellin, master, arrived at Sitka June
%, in charge of Lieut.. Quinn and AS
sistant Engineer BrothertOn, and was
turned over to the United States col.
lector of customs for violation of the
revenue laws. The CoquilIon was
seized by Capt. Hooper at Port Ethics,
Prince William sound, on June %, for
having 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 the British sealing fleet, and
receiving ZealSkinS in return within
the jurisdiction of United States
without entry or permit. Her opera
tions were observed by Lieut.. S.
b. Quinn, of the Corwin, who, disguised
in citizens clothing, had been out to
Port Ethics for the purpose Of watching
the movements of the SchOOnerS and
steamers.
Supplies Cut Off:
Twenty-Five British schooners were
boarded in Port Ethics. and after being
given reasonable time for weather and
repairs they were ordered out of the
harbor. The seizure of the CoquillOn
leaves all the British sealing fleet in the
Northern waters without supplies.
The news was great surprise. 1t is
thought Capt. H0Opers action was to
cut off the schooners from their source
of supplies, thus starving them home.
This will not work with many of them,
as they are outfitted for the whole sea-
son, but few may be compelled to re-
turn. The seizure itself does not ap-
pear to be as serious as at first might be
supposed. Capt. j. 5. Cox, president of
the SealerS' association, says the QueS-
ton at issue is not affected at all. The
only .wrOng-doing charged against the
STEAMER is for 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 airy
port; nor did she enter Port EtheS, as
there are no officials of any government
located there. She left port with COM
plete store list. however, and complied
strictly with other forms.
Foster Has Little to Say.
WAsHINGToN, July 2.--No official IN
formation had been received in Wash
ington today up to the close of Office
hours regarding the reported seizure Of
British vessels In Alaskan waters by
foo To-
Foster. of the state department. this
afternoon was shown copy of the dis
patch from Victoria, b. c., giving de-
tails of the case. He said that while
the department had no information on
the subject as yet, he saw no reason to
doubt the accuracy of the press dis
patches, especially as they indicated
very conclusively that the seizures were
made in consequence of violation OF
the United States revenue and custom
laws, and not because of violation
of the modus vivendi agreement be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain in regard to the seal fisheries.
He said he did not care to say anything
further on the subject until he received
the official report of the seizures.
1t was learned subsequently that the
United States consul at Victoria. B. c.,
has been instructed to send full par
ticulars by telegraph. Secretary Foster,
Acting Secretary Ramsey. of the navy
department, aud Assistant Secretary
Spaulding, of the treasury department,
were in conference at the subtreasury
today. 1t is understood that the action
of the CorwiD in enforcing rigid inter-
probation of our revenue laws against
foreign vessels in Alaska is in strict
accord with instructions given her COM
mander before sailing from San Fran
cisco.