The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-07-21
Highest Of all in Leavenng "asr-Latest u Report
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ABSOLUTELY PURE
PURE

with sufficient number of expert men,
about one hundred, TO carry on their opera
tions, who. together with their families, are
permanent residents. The government also
provides trusty agent to look after its
interests.
AS was stated, during the first weeks of
May the seals come to these islands and
remain about six months. 1t Is during this
period that the hides are secured. The old
males, together with the females that are
having and caring for their young, occupy
position near the sea and are never dis
turbed. The younger seals, from two to
five years old, are lying in vast numbers
farther inland. The seals are neither timid
nor ugly, and so every morning the men go
among them quietly, and having selected
such a number as they wish, always the
young males from three to five years old,
separate them from the herd and drive them
to the opposite side of the island where they
are killed, always with clubs-irearms
would frighten the seals. This process
goes on from day to day, till 100, 900 skins
are procured. They are salted, packed in
great bales and largely shipped to London,
England, the furs prepared there being the
finest in the world. Thus England secures
the lions share of the profit, for the seal
skin as 1t is taken from the animal, worth
$500 to $500, has increased to $500 to
$500 when it comes from the hands of the
London furrier. Should the English
government permit the Canadians to an
initiate the seal, they will commit the folly
of killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
There is curious fact in relation to the
fur of the seal. There is quantity of long,
coarse hair, which would materially injure
the beauty of the fur. But these long hairs
penetrating through the true skin, have
their roots in the cellular tissues or fat
below, and in the process of tanning, when
the fat is scraped off, they fall out and only
the short, silky fur so much admired re-
mains.
AS only one hundred thousand-or less if
the secretary of the treasury shall so direct
can be killed in any one year, and none
of these females, and as one adult male can
mate with fifteen or twenty females, it will
be seen that congress has made most admir-
able provisions, not only for the perpetuity,
but the certain increase of the seals. 1t is
the opinion of those best qualified to Judge,
that if the seals are protected as carefully as
our government provides. at the end of q
quarter of a century the Pribyloff Islands
will be worth $3O,O0O,O 900. If Canadian
pOachers are turned loose in the North
Pacific and Behring Sea, the seals will have
followed the buffalo and the Pribyloffs will
be as lonely as Juan Fernandez lin the day:
of Cruso.
For fifteen years after the purchase o.
Alaska, this industry went forward without
interference from any source. But in 1885,
Canada sent out few vessels which entered
boldly into the Behring Sea and began al
indiscriminate slaughter of the seals. Not
withstandiHg the vigorous protest of ou
government, the number of these poacher
has rapidly increased, until the destruction
of the seal has become alarming. In th,
year 1890 sixty-seven Canadian vessels
were engaged in this unlawful, merciles
system of poaching, ana but for the promp
action of President Harrison, more than on
hundred would have been engaged in thi
highway robbery last year. While we per
NIT only 100, 900 to be killed each year, an,
those selected from the non-producing class
the poacher's plan is entirely different. TIL
seals are shot while in the water. Thes
vessels cruise about Behring Sea, AM
especially while the seals are on their wa
to the islands, they are shot, indiscrimi
nately, old and young, male and female
Especially is this true of the females heav
with young, whose motions are slow, an