Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-17

Rooksnss Ruined Il Sealing Be-
gifls the First OF August
PROF. TllloTT's OPINION


CLEvEfAsD. Ohio. Aug ld-pfof.
Henry w. Elliott q the Smithsonian In
sfitute Ess interviswed by the Cleve-
land Leader and asked for his opinion
e the herring sea decision. Prof. Elliott
vas sert % the seal rookeries on the
PFibglos Islands in Pfesidsnt Harrisons
standardization 10 investigate the sub
Jet Of seal lie and made an exhaustive
report upon IL lie j. generally recog-
nized a. high authority upon the
question, and biz judgment Of the char
aeter u the decislon il of great value In
helping 10 clear understanding of II.
Prof. Elliott said:
Il cilnnot give positive answer TO
the question until I can read tho decis-
ion in full. but regard the commercial
value of the Pribylov rookeries indus
tries ruined IL the p6lagic sealer can
enter upon his work around the Seal
islands after August every season. No
matter il the use Of firearms Is prohib-
tied. the use OF spSars and lances and
compressed air 10 drive them Is not
barred. and white man can and viii
use spear as we'll As an Indian and
even better IL he Is obliged 10.
Taking seals with Spears
a Gordon Of seal schooners. 100 or l40
in Number. manned by 1000 20 2.500
hardy men. sixty miles out from tho
Pribylov islands during the season Of
August. September aud October when
the weather is usually fine will work a
great amount Of effective killing into
their log books. even IL they arc shut out
from the use Of firearms. Tor all this
time the nursing mother seals will be in
and out from the rookeries after food.
returning 20 nurse their helpless young.
They lind this fish and squid food on
the submarine plateaus OF Boring sea.
south and southwest, chiefly from the
lslAiids, distant all the way from forty to
zoo rniics Then, too, the sole use OF
spears. nets. etc. will indirectly prove as
deadly as firearms would. for such use
does not alarm the pelagic herds as the
report OF rifles and shotguns docs. and
the seals viii not become as wild and
wary as they otherwise would.
LOT course this decision prevents the
determination Of the species. But that
Is an idle aim. We want 10 preserve
the commercial value OK these interests.
so that they will not be heavy annual
burden on tho public treasury and so
that they will yield enough 10 be dis
tinctive feature OF the fur markets Of
the civilized world, as they have been
during the last twenty years.
Sixty Mile Zone scored.
The fur seal herd as 10 now stands
under this award OF the Paris court is
open during February, March and
April 10 tho attacks OF the pelagic
sealer in the North Pacific. From May
10 July 81 the herd is mercifully and
properly spared by the verdict. BY the
4th 10 the 10th OF july IL enters Boring
sea and does not return in any appreci-
able number until the middle or end OF
the following October. Therefore this
sealing feet can and will rendezvous
at Ornalashea this harbor gives them the
finest shelter and plenty OK fresh water
and fish between July and 81. and by
August be in position all around the
islands sixty miles out. where the feed
ing seals are more numerous than they
are three miles from those shores. These
vessels on that shoal area surrounding
these islands can easily anchor and lay
out any storm better than they can and
do on the grand banks of Georges. for
the depth Is only fifty 10 seventy faith
oms and the holding ground FIRST class.
So the revenue cutters will never find
these fellows of their bearings. fog or
no fog.
blinded the Arbitrators.
1T is a great pity that this good
beginning OF the court was not carried
entirely out-that this Close time did
not run from May To October 10 in
elusive. / do not wonder az the result
and do not criticise the counsel. They
were burdened with an absurd load OF
idle and rapid claim Of jurisdiction on
the high seas and Of property right in
a wild animal swimming at will In these
high seas. They did well. but they
kicked up such dust in this carrying
out Of their order Az 10 cloud and dim
the real object.
Il hope that the darkly limited sug.
| gestion that the court has recommended
that all killing OF the fur seal on land
and sea he held up for tho next three
years is true. III that plan is adopted
or agreed upon. then the salvation OF
these ruined rookeries can be effected
by fresh efforts In the meantime and tho