The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-02

neeie nnyWnero IN benflnN sea
when these terms we're announced last sum
mer. certain emphatic declarations were made.
on the strength Of statements by our discom-
fted lawyers aud agents at Paris. TO the effect
that these new regulations OF the Behrina Sea
Tribunal had broken up the business Of the
pelngie sealer, and that our rookeries Of Deh-
ring Sea we're saved from the ruin wrought by
these hunters. Added to these cheerful an
nouneements. werc the loud protests OF the
Canadian senlers themselves. who declared
with great emphasis that their business was
really ruined; that they wanted to sell their
vessels at any sacrifice.
But there were those who recalled the fact
that in 1891. when the modWs rireni Was 50
suddenly put through. these same Canadian
sealers had made just M loud protest The
Canadians declared at that time with the same
emphasis that their business was ruined.
They wanted to sell their vessels. then, too.
What did these fellows do1 They went ahead
with greater energy and in greater nun bers
than ever before. They increased the nu m Der
Of yesscls and took larger pelaGlc catches Of
the unhappy seals than ever before Last sea-
sons work was the largest pelagic catch ever
recorded. The combined American and Asiatie
return was over 5000 skins. nearly 10000 Of
the number having been taken on this side. ia
the North Pacific.
Now. supposlnR that the now regulations OF
the Paris Court are nut into operation at once
and In good faith; that all sealing In the North
Pacific is stopnsd erectualy by the first OF
next MAY. and that the pclaRic sealers will not
be permitted to destroy or modest another seal
until the flrss Of August. when they are allowed
TO encircle tho Seal Islands and lay for these
animals Just without a zone Of sixty miles
surrounding snil islands; that all the neces-
sary cooperation IL secured to make this
pafroI at
and the Sandwich Islauds-supposing that all
this Is done. what then will be the measure OF
real protection afforded to the seals?
Since the middle OF February the sealing.
feet OF Victoria and Puget Sound has been.
getting under way and clearing for the North
Pacific and Japan waters The entire fleet OF
some seventy or eighty vessels carries ]. 200 to
300 hunters. and lie now In hot chase after the
migrating fur-seal hord as It passes up the
west coast Of Vancouver Island, anywhere
from I'VE to one hundred and nifty miles off
land. and then spreads out irreEularly In feed
ing. A large number Of these schooners have
been hunting the animals ever since the
herd struck in on the California and Oregon
coast moro than month ago. The entire fleet
now is In full cry. and will follow the herd up
to May first. under tho lee OF the Renal PENN
sula. whore the big marine patrol which Uncle
Sam must establish will meet them.
At that date and place the combined catch
OF the fleet will have reached from 1900 to
10000 seals. according to the weather OK
perienced. Most OF the schooners will then
transship their catches to some special vessel
sent up from Victoria for that purpose. and will
leisursly jog on to the westward. bound osten-
sibly for Asiatic watera They will respect the
marine patrol OF that broad stretch between
Prince Williams Sound and tho Aleutian
passes Into Dehring Sea only when the
patrol is In sight They will move
alo,g as fast as the seals do and some
OF them faster. Many or most OF them will
stop at 0onalashka for water and fresh hsh
suppliea Some will stay at oonalashka until |
the first OF August arrives. Others will keep |
on over to the Russian side. hunt seal there |
during part OF Juno and July. to return for the
Behring Sea hunt. which opens for them on
the first day OF August.
BY July 20 the breeding season 10 closed on
the islands for the year The young are all
born. From that date on until about the mid
die Of October the mother seals are INSTANTLY
going out from the islands TO feed at sea over
all the way from ten to two hundred |
miles from the breeding grounds. The nurs-
Ing mother seal leaves her offspring on the |
island and starts out to sea for food. SO swift
" can she swim that she Is not governed By |
the distance from the islands when she looks |
for the best fishing banks. She will 60 one |
hundred miles from the islands as promptly |
as she will go ten miles The difference Is |
nothing to her when weighed against better |
or worse feeding areas She will be gone on |
this trip several days; perhaps week. She |
returns to the pup on shore. She nurses II. |
stays with 1t for three or four days. then starts
out anew for fresh feeding jaunt to the Same |
area where she last satisfied herself
The best fishing banks for the seals In Beh- |
rim o. 2aa ara N tho ~ nd nnrth- |
west Of the Prlbyloy Islands. oil the way from |
40 to $50 miles distant Over this area the |
mother seals are constantly going from the |
islands and returning to them as they altor- |
nately feed themselves and then suckle their |
which cannot leave the land OF their |
birth until they are four months old.
From Aug. until the bad weather begins In |
October usually from the 10th to the 18th. |
the pelaRic fleet can lay of and on Just outside
OF that sixty nile zone" establishe BY the |
Paris Court. and intercept these scala They |
will enjoy during August and September the |
very best weather OF the whole year in Behring |
Sea- August is especially tho one good month |
Of the year up there. The sealing vessels do |
not stand In danger OF gales until about the |
end Of September.
An unlock cd for aid to these pelagle hunters |
thus licensed TO kill seals In BehrinR Sea has |
been afforded by the order OF tho Paris Court |
which prohibits them from using firearms in |
killing fur seals while In Behring Sea. At iirst |
thought this would seem TO be q very signih- |
cant and effective check to the success OF their |
m ethod OF killing seals; but unfortunately It |
will not work in the way looked for By the |
wise gentlemen who incorporated the prohi- |
bition in the Paris articles
The effect VI n rearms up along the north |
west coast, as the fleet pursues the herd. 10 to |
increase the cha noes Of larger catch day by |
day The report Of firearms at this stage OF |
the migration does nothing but slightly hasten |
the herd on It's way back to the islandA The |
seals would continue to travel any way. guns |
or no guns, and the vessels would have to
chase them steadily.
But when the seals are In the feeding area OF |
Behring Sea. lying Just outside OF a sixty mlls |
cirele around the Islands. the more quietly the |
killing Is effected. the better for the success !
Of the hunterA Were the fleet to open the |
hunt by universal shooting over the fixed |
laadInU aFaa n ~ hieh fha for fha nawf