The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-13
Futile Effort of Sealing
SchOOners.
SHOT ACROSS THEIR BOWS.
Experiences of the Bering Sea
Patrol.
MANY VESSELS ARE WARNED.
All but Two of Them Stopped Hunting
at Once and Started
Home.

SEATTLE. Wash. June IA special to
the POst-Inielligencer, dated Sitka, June 3,
says:
Inc United States steamer Mohican,
flagship of the Bering Sea patrol feet, ar
rived in port .o-day for mail and supplies,
having been on cruise of five days about
Kodiak Islands.
% the third day of the cruise in heavy
weather. the lookout on the MOhican saw
vessel well in shore. The warship bore
down On the schooner, which Immediately
placed on all sail in an attempt to get
away.
The wind favored the schooner, so orders
were given to fire across her bow. The
Hotchkiss guns sent a couple of shots after
the schooner. which hove to.
When boarded she proved TO be the VOL
unteer of Seattle. No direct evidence Of
Illegal sealing was obtained except all arms
ana implements were ready for use.
Ihese were all sealed up, and the Volun-
teer ordered to Sand Point to await the
end of the season.
Ihe next day a similar performance was
gone through With the schooner George r.
White. also of Seattle. The captains OF
both vessels were angered at being boarded,
and from their manner the naval officers
expect more trouble with them. The next
time they are found away from Sand Point
they will be seized.
In talking with the officers of the Mo-
hican the Post-Intelligencer correspondent
learned that there are liable 10 be many
seizures within the next few weeks, as
some of the vessels ordered to remain at
Sand Point have put to sea during the alb
senee of the war vessels from that place.
One officer said: 1.-The order to seal up
all arms and implements found on board
will not prove effective, as many captains
will take their chances on getting away,
break open the seals and hunt again.
Others will obtain arms secretly and leave
the sealed ones as we place them. There
is nothing to prevent them buying new
guns and shoot away as soon as they get
clear of land. This should be provided
against"
The only sealers who have given trouble
many way out of the twenty or twenty
five boarded were the Volunteer and
White.
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, June 12.-Pri-
vate advices from the Boring sea patrol,
dated June g. state that up to that time the
United States fleet had warned twenty
sealers, only eight of which were Ameri-
cans.
The orders regarding the treatment of
seaiers were not opened till after the feet
left here on May 16. and were found to be
as follows:
When sealer Is boarded by a naval officer.
English or American, he examines the logbook
under date OF May 1, where, IL sealer has
been previously boarded, he Will find an entry.
This entry will show whether the sealer has
been warned or licensed.
So far captains have offered no objec-
tions to being searched. aud all seem anx-
ious to learn the mission of the patrol
fleet and get back to port In fact the
English men-0f-war carried orders from
owners of sealers which fitted out at Vic
toria to return to that port. Besides max
ing all entry in the logbook in regard to
the sealer. the officer seizes or
seals firearms and ammunition.
The sealing of arms and ammunition is
done by placing the ammunition in a can
vas bag, which Is carefully tied and the
knots covered with wax, which is stamped
with the ship's official seal. The arms are
dashed together and the knots officially
stamped. Then the sealer is told that he
can take out a license if he desires. which
will entitle him to seal after August.
All sealers are given copies of the Presi.
dents proclamation ana the act of Parlia-