The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-18
NEWS FROM BKRrSa SEA.
An American Sealer sefxed-The Rool
cries Not RaideS.


USALAsKA, Alaska, July 27.--ISpecial. r.
The seizure of the sealing schooner C. q.
White, of San Francisco, by the COM
msnder of the United States steamer
Petrol at Sanak for transferring her catch
OF sealskins 20 the schooner Csarina has
been the principal topic of discussion in
official circles recently. and there appears
to be wide divergence of opinion as 10
the merits of the case. From the most re-
liable sources il is ascertained that the
Petrol called in at Sanak island on July
II and there found the schooner G. g.
White. recently arrived from the Japanese
coast with catch of 80 seaiskins. These
she transferred to the schooner Czarina,
owned by the McCoilum Fishing Com
pany, of San Francisco. without having
first entered at q custom house. Com
mander Dayton having ascertained these
facts, concluded TO detain the vessel and
bring her to Unalaska TO have the matter
Investigated by the authorities, and this
was accordingly done. When the Petrol
arrived at Unalaska with her prize Com
mander Dayton found the senior naval
officer absent on cruise and no one
seemed to be able to say either where he
was gone or when he would be back and
the commander of the cruiser found him
self with vessel on his hands
OF whose liability 20 seizure there
was at least question, but one
which he was not competent to
decide. The only thing TO be done under
the circumstances was 10 send the schooner
to Stka and place the matter in the hands
of the court for settlement. The question
at issue seems TO be whether the White,
being an American vessel sailing under a
fishing license, Is liable 90 molestafion for
transferring cargo into another American
vessel in an American port without the
formality Of entering NJ the custom house.
AT first appearance the vessel committed
an Illegal act in breaking cargo without
permission of the customs authorities.
and was liable to seizure. But other legal
lights up here land there are lots of sea
lawyers in the fieeil say the White Is no
more liable to seizue than whaiers are
who transfer the catch of oil or bone TO the
tender sent north 10 receive IL every year
before the whaiers enter the Arctic ocean.
SO parties TO the legal controversy have
been found aud the event has proved q
godscnd in the way of something 10 pull
and haul on over the mess tables Mean
While whether the White IL guilty Of a
breach of the Iaw or not SHE has fallen
into the clutches Of the Law. and there
will be at least one less seaier for the fleet
to watch this year.
Ii will be remembered By readers OF the
PosT-IsTELIIeKScEg that at the beginning
of this years operations Commander
NieoIi Ludlow. OF the Mohican. the senior
naval officer com manding the Bersng sea
feet, was reported as having registered .
mighty vow to beat the record Of efficiency
made by his predecessor, Fighting Bob"
Evans, last year. Well. 'Old MEX" as
the irreverent call him. seems bent on car
rying osis his intentions. There Is no rest
for the weary. and every cruiser has been
kept on tn e jump ever since leaving Port
Townsend. From Sitka TO Atiu, the
most western island of the Aleutian group,
every foot OF ground has been covered.
and vessels are patrUsl ing tas sea day and
night in search OF the w1iy seaser. Bnt IL
any poacher has yensurad 20 show his nose
inside tie forbidden waters OF Bering sea
no one knows IL. az sach vessel coming
into Dutch harpor for coal brings always
the same report Of having seen nothing IN