Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-27
POINTS IN CONTENTION.
The Boring See Dispute Between England
and America.

1he Boring See Dispute Between England
and America.
At the meeting on Thursday Of the Bering
Sea arbitrators it was decided that the sitting
OF the tribunal should not be held behind closed
doors, says Paris special to the New York
Herald This permits MAKING public the exact
points Of the contention between the United
States and Great Britain, which countries have
agreed to submit to an international court of
arbitration the case OF the United States and
that Of Great Britain and the counter cases of
the two parties. The arguments Of counsel
form on each side six large, handsomely printed
volumes.
THE CASE FOR THE UNITED STATES.
Briefly stated. the case Of the United States ID
that the Alaskan fur seal is begotten, born and
resred only upon the Pribylov or Sea Islands in
the BerinR sea, to which islands they return
each spring to spend several months consorting
together, In accordance with their gregarious
nature; that while ut these islands the seals are
easily controlled: that discrimination can be
and has been exercised; that while absent from
the Islands during migration. which reaches
Tar south ss the coast Of California. they land
on no other shore and mingle with no other
nerd OF FUR seals; that because of these habits
the Alaskan nerd and each individual of it il
the sole property of the United States.
The methods employed by the open sea seal
ers is attacked by the American government as
destructive, wasteful and exterminatlng It is
claimed that large percentage of the seals
KILLED by open sea hunters are females, the ma
jority Of which are about to become or are
mothers. The destruction of the pregnant
female causes the death of the unborn Young
The death OF the mother seal killed while in
search of food in the waters OF Behring sea.
destroyed the offspring on the Pribylov rock
cries.
1t is further claimed that MANY OF the seals
shot in the open sea by hunters escape mortally
wounded or sink before the hunter reaches
them open sea sealing. it is argued, will
result In the destruction % the herd in the near
future.
On the islands only limited number of male
seals are Killed As the seal Is polygsmous a
large number of males can be killed without
ahectlng the birth rate OF the herd
On these facts the American government
claims that from the ne .ure Of the industry es-
tablished on the Pribylov Islands the United
states has the right to protect and preserve
these seals Wherever they may be found. as the
animals can only be killed on United States ter
ritory without danger of determination
1t Is also claimed that owing TO the long
period OF CESSATION pelagic sealing cannot AT
any time be Otherwise ihan destructive danger
Gus and wasteful and should therefore be pro-
hibited.
GREAT BRITAIN's CASE.
The case Of Great Britain, on the other hand
is that the Alaskan seals have no. the charac
istics of animals that can be made subject to
property: that it is not certain they land only
upon the Pribylov Islands. o. that they do not
ln.ermin5ie with the Russian seal herd or that
they are pelagc in nature. ard. therefore,
should be treated as fish rather than land ami
mails: that many of the propositions essential to
the position taken BY the United States are un.
proven or contrary to the facts.
As to the pelagic sealing. il is claimed that
the destructiveness end wastefrlness have been
greatly exaggerated, that it is a legitimate and
proper method of taking SEALS and that it can
be prosecuted without danger Of exte-minatine
the herd
Much Importance is also given by the British
government to iurisdictional claims over Berins
sea. but this appears to be treated by the United
States as secondary question.
CONCEDED BY BOTH.
Both nations concede that the seals have de.
c-eassd-the United States charging such de.
crease to the destruction of the producing se1
by open-sea sealing. Great Britain claiming tina,
the present condition has been caused bv the
excessive number of mares killed on islands
and the injurious effect of tine methods there
employed.
These are the issues presented to the tribunal
OF arbitration. on which they are asked to give
decision. The question of damages is OF
minor Importance ard cannot be determined
until the principal questions are decided