The Lamar register., 1893-08-19
THE sEARlNc SEA DECISION.
A Compromi.e Announced which Will
Protect the Seats but Denies
Some of Our Claims to

Protect the Seats but Denies
some of Our Claims to
Jurisdictioa-
of arbitration was handed down at ll:07
O'Clock Tuesday morning.
The five points Of article are decided
against the United States. A close season IL
established to begin May l and to continue
until July 81. The close season shall be OBJ
served both in the North Pacific ocean and in
Behring Sea. A protected zone is established
extending for sixty miles around the Islands.
Pelagic sealing Is allowed outside the zone in
Behring Sea from August /. The use of fire.
arms in sealing is prohibited.
The decision was practically unanimous,
though Messrs. Harlan and Morgan voted
against the decision disallowing American
control Of Behring Sea
Baron de Conrcel addressed the arbitrators,
saying that he recognized the great value of
arbitration as a cause OF peace between
nations. He expressed the opinion that
every International arbitration rendered war
less probable, and said he looked forward TO
the time in the near future when 1t would be
the rule and not the exception to settle inter
national differences in this way.
can Arbltrators, and Lord Hannen, one of the
arbitrators appointed BY Great Britain, re-
piled to Baron de Courcel saying that they
reeiprocated the sentiments expressed by
him, and they recognized the hospitality ex-
tended by France to the arbitrators.
The session Terminated amid mutual con-
gratulations and expressions of good feeling.
John W. Foster, American agent to the
Behring arbitration, says that under the de-
cision of the tribunal no pelagic sealing can
now be carried on between May Z and July 81.
After that time such sealing may be prose-
cuted in Behrlng Sea with spears at distance
OF sixty miles from the islands. This decision
Limits pelagic scaling to narrow bounds.
Mr.. Foster. said that he thought the restric-
tions might render the pelagic sealing un-
profitable. The provisions for n close season
will prevent pelagic sealing during three Of
the four months when It can be said TO be
very profitable. 1t leaves the right TO hunt
seals In the North Pacific from January to
May. The weather during three-fodrths OF
that period is very unfavorable and the
catches then made are always small. 1t also
leaves the right to hunt seals in parts Of
Behring Sea after July which means for a
period of about twenty-five days after the ex-
piration Of which rough weather compels the
hunters to leave. During these twenty-five
days the hunters can neither come within
sixty miles of the Pribylofr Islands, nor use
any weapon except spears. Though the 1n-
dians are permitted TO hunt seals along the
coast from canoes, the catch made by them is
always very small.
Mr.. Foster added: s'True, the United
States have not obtained all they contended,
since they demanded the total prohibition Of
.pelagic sealing, but the regulations now
made are much better than those Mr.. Blaine
vainly offered TO Lord Salisbury in 1890 rs a
settlement Mr.. Blaine then proposed as the
sole restriction of pelagic sealing to prohibit
IL within sixty miles of Pribylof Islands.
The present settlement is also more advan-
tageous than the one proposed by Mr.. Bayard
In isSs. as he asked no protection for the
seals during May and June. 1t has since been
found that the operations of the pelagic
hunters were most destructive to pregnant
seals during these two months"