The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-26
BERING SEA ADMIRATION.
The Case OF the United states Briefly
Stated-Open Sessions.

u
The Case OF the United states Briefly
ststed-Open Sessions.
PARIS, March 25.-(New York Herald
Special. lat the meeting on Thursday of
the Boring sea arbitrators it was decided
that the sittings would not be held behind
closed doors. This permits making public
the exact points Of contention. Briefly
stated, tho case Of the United States is:
The ALASKAN fur seal 10 begottsn, born and
reared only upon Pribilof islands, 20
which they return each spring to
spend several months consorting together,
that while ct these islands the seals are easily
controlled. and that discrimination can b and
has been exercised; that while absent from the
islands during migration. which reaches a. far
south - California. they land on no
other shore and mingle with NO other
herd OF fur seals; that because of these habits
the Alaskan herd ana each individual OF it 10
the property OF the United States. The meth.
DDS employed BY open sea sealers IL attacked by
the American government a. destructive, and
wasteful and 10 exterminating the scala 1t Is
claimed that . large percentage Of the seals
killed BY open ssa hunters are females, . ma.
jority OF which are about to become
or are mothers. and that the destruc.
ton Of the pregnant females causes the
death OF the unborn young. The death of
the mother seal killed while In search Of food
In the waters Of Boring ssa destroys
the offspring on the islands OF Prlbilot It 10
further claimed that many of the seals shot in
the open sea BY the hunters escape MORALLY
wounded or sink before the hunter reaches them.
Open sea sealing il 10 argued, will result in the
destruction OF the herd In the near future. On
the islands only . limited number OF male seals
are killed. Az the seal 10 polygamous . large
number Of the males can be xillsd without al
fecting the birth rate Of the herd.
On these facts the American government
claims. from the nature OF the industry
established on Pribilof islands, the
United States has the right to pro-
ect and preserve these seal wherever they
may be found, a. animals can only BE- kiilsd:on
United States territory without danger of ex.
termination. 1t is also claimed that owing to
the long period OF CESSATION, pelagc sealing
cannot ct any time b otherwise than destruc-
tive, dangerous and wsstsfui. aud should be
prohibited.
The case Of Great Britain on the other
hand 10 that Alaskan seals have not the
characteristics Of animals that can be
made subject to property: that it is
not certain that they land only on the
Pribilof islands or that they do
not intermingle with the Russian
seal herd; or that they arc pelagic in their
nature. and therefore should be treated as
fish rather than land animals; that many
of the propositions essential to the
position taken by tho United States are
unproven or contrary TO the facts as
to pelagic sealing; it is claimed
that the reports Of destructiveness
and wastefulness have been exaggerated
that it IL q legitimate and proper method
OF taking seals and can be prosecuted
rs ~
herd. Much Importance is also
given by the British government TO
the jurisdiction it claims over Ber-
ing sea, but this appears to Re
treated by the United States as second
ary question. Both nations concede tina:
seals have decreased, the United States
charging such decrease to the destruction
of the producing sex by open sea sealing,
and Great Britain claiming that the pres
ent condition has been caused by the ex-
cessive number of mares killed on the ISL
and and the injurious effect Of the method
there emploved.