The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-06
PRICE TWO CENTS
THE HABITS OF THESEAL
MR.. COUDERTs ARGUMENT BEFORE
THE BEHRING SEA COURT.
Tho Great American Lawyer Again Waxes
Facetious In Describing the Fac
mous Animal.

PARIS. May S.-Mr r. r. coudert. ~
counsel for the United States. continued
his argument tefore the Behrirg sea
tribunal OF arbitration to-day.
Mr.. Coudert read from the American
case to show the habits OF the seals;
that II mother seal was killed her pu;,
must inevitably perish By starvation.
"a the seal mother would nurse only
their own pups. The portion Of the Amer
lean case read by Mr.. Coudert also
81 cwed that necessarily, after few
days Of nursing her pup the cow Is
c,nIelled To seek food in order to pro-
vide sufficient nourishmsnt for her OFF
spring that she leaves the pup on the
rockery and goes into the SCI. these n
cursions lengthening as the pup gets old
er. The portion read also showed u az
fish were very scarce I'm the waters ad-
lpning the rookeries. and this cess.
tated the COW going many miles IN search
OF hol food. and that they undoubtedly
go from 100 10 poo miles from the rook-
cries on these feeding excursions. A fact
borne out by the testimony OF many ex-
perienced sealers.
Mr. Coudert went on TO say that since
the nursing mothers Travelled this dis
tance seaward To seek food returning
after obtaining the food Il was difficult
10 speak patiently OF the British pro-
posal that a twenty emile limit would be
sufficient for the protection OF the female
seals.
Mr.. Coudert next read and discussed
that portion OF the American case re-
lating 10 the methods employed In taking
the seals at the Pribylon Islands and
the results OF these practices upon the
herd.
He read TO the effect that a herd Of
seals Is as capable Of being driven,
separated and counted as a herd OF cattle
on the plains. i'm fact. so much resembling
these latter i'm the timidity Of the females
and the ferocity OF the males that ac-
cOrding TO the evidence of one witness
they are as controllGble and amenable
TO good management upon the islands
as sheep and cattle and that this power
Of domestication has made II possible to
discriminate most carefully between the
classes Of seals killed and 20 enforce
rules and regulations for the general man
agement of the herd
Baron de Courcei president Of the tri-
bunal. inquired whether the branding OF
seals was practiced
MIR. Coudert replied that he presumed II
was not.
What good would Il be?' he asked. II
would be 10 protection against relagic
mara uders. who on American soil would
be hanged without trial There was no
difference. MIR. Coudert continued between
seals going 10 the sea for food and cattle
going out on the praries for food.
I'm reply TO Lord Hannen. one OF the
British arbitrators Mr.. Coudert prefaced
his examination of the management OF the
seal islands with an argument in which
ne contended that the arbitratOrs could
not make any regulations as 10 Behring
Sea conditional as TO what should be
done on the islands owned by the rhftsd
States The United States would not al
low anybody TO interfere with the man
agement OF the property Of the United
States
Mr. Coudert then went on to prove that
the regulations I'm force on the Pribylon
Islands provided every possible precau-
tion for the preservation OF the seals.
Dogs were not allowed on the Islands.
and even smoking was forbidden.
This latter statement caused good
deal Of merriment and banter on the part
OF members OF the tribunal and the coun-
sci urogent.