The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-06
Habits OF the Mother Seal and Regulations for
the Preservation Ofthe Herd on the Prib-
yloff Islands Described 10 the Court.
Chancellor Caprivi HustliDg for Votes
10 Pass the German Army Bill.
Fate Of the Measure TO Be- Determined Monday
Ruling by the Speaker Of The Commons
Affecting the iiome-kule Bill.
HABITS OF THE SEAL.
Mr.. Coudert Tells How the Mother Seeks
Food for Her Offspring.

Mr.. CouderI Tells How the Mother Seeks
Food for Her Offspring.
PARIS. May 5.-Mr. +. II. Coudert, of
counsel for the United States continued
his argument before the Bshripg sea tri-
buual of arbitration to-day. Mr.. Coudert
read from the American case to show the
habits of the seals-thst ii mother seal was
killed her pup must inevitably perish by
starvation, as tho seal mothers would
naree only their own pups. The Dor-
Iicg IF the American case read by Mr.
Csudert also showed that necessarily.
after a few days of nursing her pup the
COW IL compelled TO seek food IN
order to provide sufficient nourIshment
fer her offspring; that she leaves
the pup en- the rookery and goes into the
sea, these excursions leng theuing as the
pup gets older. The portion read also
showed that fsh were very scarce in the
waters adjacent TO the rookeries. and this
necessitated the COW going many miles iu
search of her food. and that they undoubt-
eddy 20 from one hundred t0 TWO hundred
miles from the rookorfes on these feeding
excursions, fact borne out by thu testl-
mony of many experienced sealers. Mr..
Coudert went on to say that since the nurs-
ing mothers travelled this distance seaward
TO seek food. returning after getting the
food. &c was difficult to speak patiently OF
the British proposal that twenty-nile
limit would be sufficient for the protection
Of the female seals
Mr.. Coudert next read aud discussed that
portion of the American case relating TO
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 herd OF seals Is as capable
Or being driven. separated and counted. as
herd of cattle on ths plains IN fact. so
much resembling thelatter. IN timidity of
the females and ferocity the males thar,
according TO the evidence of one Witness
they are as coDtrclable aud anenRbie 10
good management npon the islands IA sheep
and CATTLE" and that this power OF domes-
tIcation has made it possible TO discrim-
mate most carefully bet " cen the classes of
seals killed and To enforte rules and regu-
lations for the general management OF the
herd.
Baron De Courcel. president of the tri-
bunal, inquired whether the branding of
Beals was practiced.
Mr.. Coudert replied that be presumed It
was not. What good would il BET he asked.
1t would be no protection against. pelagic
marauders who, on American soil. would
lac hanged without trial. There was no
difference, Mr.. Coudert continued, be-
tween seals going TO the sea for TODD and
eattie going out on the prairies tor food.
British arbitrator. Mr.. Condert prefaoed
his examination of the management of the
seat islands with an argument in which he
conteuded that the aTbitrators could not
make any regulations as TO Behring sea
conditional as TO what would he done on
the Islands owned By the United states.
The United States would not allow any
body 60 interfere with the management of
the property of the United States.
Mr.. Coudert then went on to prove that
che regulations IN force on the Priby loif
islands provided every possible precaution
for the preservation of the seals. Dogs
were not allowed on the islands and even
smoking was forbidden. This latter state
ment caused good deal OF merriment and
banter on the part OF thr members of the
tribunal and the counsel present.
The hearing was not so interesting IN the
afternoon as IN the forenoon. Mr.. Coudert
asserted that pelagic sealing had not less
ened since the modus vivendi was agreed
upon between Great Britain and the
United states. The pelagic seal hunters
now catch the seal In the ocean outside the
Behring sea where they fouud the chase
equally profitable. Consequently it was
necessary to establish regulations as to
seal hunting In the North Pacific coast and
30 stamp out pelagic sealing.