New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-06
EXPERIMENTING THE SEAL.
SLAUGHTER BY PELAGIC SEALERS UN-
RESTRAINED BY LAWS.

THE WORK OF THE ARBITRATION COMMISSION
AND THE RULES MADE BY IT OF NO AVAIL
IN DIMINISHING THE DEPREDATIoNs OF
PoACHERs-UNCLE SANS POOR END
OF THE BARGAIN WITH ENGLAND.
Il am decidedly Of opinion that some more
effective measures should be taken to preserve
the seals from the awful destruction which the
pelagic sealers making the herds in the
Pribyloff and the Commander Islands. notwith-
standing the decision 90 the Paris Tribunal
This statement was made yesterday to a reporter
| OF The Tribune by one who understands the
subject thoroughly.
Enough time has elapsed now" he added. ito
what effect the new arrangement has had"
Any one who will take the trouble to look care
fully at a good map Of Alaska, and of that once
coveted body of water. Behring Sea- which Uncle
Sam thought to claim as his very own. spending
much time and trouble and money in finding
out that the claim was not good, will see al
most in the middle Of the a few little dots
called the Pribyloff Islands. And IT was about
these islands and the seals that breed upon them
that all the trouble was raised. and 1t on
them that the Behring Sea Arbitration Commits
sion in Paris decided to establish a close season.
during which 1t is not permitted 10 any persons
to kill the seals. After that the poachers can
thrash around in the waters wherever they like.
outside Of a zone OF sixty miles around the
Pribyloff Islands" and kill as many seals as
they like.
Article / Of the decision says:
The United States and Great Britain shall forbid
their citizens and subjects respectively to kill,
capture or pursue. at any time. or In any manner
Whatever. the animals commonly called fur seals,
within zone OF sixty miles around Pribylon ISL
ands. inclusive OF the territorial water the miles
being geographical miles. sixty to a degree of
latitude.
Article II says:
The two governments shall forbid their citizens
or subjects to Kill. capture pursue in any man
ner whatever. during a season extending In each
the high sea in that part OF the Pacific Ocean. In
elusive OF Behrng Sea. situated north OF the 18th
degree of longitude from Greenwich until II
strikes the water boundary described IN Article
Russia following that line up TO the Behring
| Straits
Articles ILL., " and ordan that only sailing
vessels shall be used for fur sealing. that each
vessel must have a special license from its Gov
eminent and carry distinguishing flag, and that
the master Of each vessel must enter in an Off
cial logbook the date and place where seals were
captured and the number Of those taken daily
as well as their sex. n facts TO be communi-
Gated regularly by each Government to the other
at the end Of each season.
Article VI forbids the use OF nets firearms
and explosives except under certain conditions
when shotguns are allowed
II becomes necessary here 10 quote in full the
article relating to Indians in order that better
understanding may be had Of all the facts gov
erning the case. Article VIII says:
The preceding regulations shall not apply 10
Indians dwelling the coast OF the territories OF
United States or Great Britain CARRYING on fur
.ffr.r In md. ka1 a.
By or used IN connection with other vessels. ana
proPesd Wholly by BSds y S Sars or sa s
hitherto practised by the Indians provided that such
ypa.i that When 80 hunting m canoes or unlocked
boats the Indians shall not hunt fur seals outside
the territorial waters under contract to deliver skins
u anybody. This exemption IL not 10 be construed
TO aHcc, The municipal law Of either country. nor
waters around the Aeutlan Islands. Nothing herein
!, INTENDED 10 ~ .e n c9nne
ton With sealing vessels "a heretofore
80 RESTRAINT on POACHERS
II should be remembered that the principal
reason alleged by the United States FOR regu-
ating in some way the slaughter OF seals was
that II IT continued at the rate at which Cana
dams and other poachers were doing the work.
this useful and valuable animal would be ex-
terminated within a short time. The decision Of
the Tribunal which sat In Paris was reached on
August Is. 1893 and one full season has passed
under the new regulation. the main features OF
which are here given. England was at no pains
TO conceal her satisfaction at the decision. and
the United States. although disappointed has
acquiesccd Loyalty. There has now elapsed
sufficient time to enable Uncle Sam to what
a poor end OF the bargain he has had. and how
th. very point about the indiscrimInate slaughter
OF the seals TO abolish which he made such
stubborn fight turns out TO have been OF so little
,ha, .h.ra hoy mo-
styled pelagc seaers. were able during the last
season TO kill about 10000 about $4,000 more
than they killed the season before. when they
were called simply poachers and when the Trlb-
unal had not made Its award
There are two distinct herds Of seals. that
freouenting the Pribyloff Islands, and the one
which has It's young the Commander Islands
which are within the territorial jurisdiction or
Russia Two companies lease the privilege OF
hunting the seals the North American CONNER
cial Company having the exclusive right 10
take them on the Pribylon Islands ana COM
pany I'm St Petersburg. which does business
with the Russian Government for permission TO
CAPTURE and Kill the Commander lsianus
While the modus vivendi between the united
states and Great Britain was In operation, pend
ing the work OF the Commission OF Arbitration
only about 1000 seals were killed by tne North
American Commercial Company-enough to give
food 10 the natives During the last season, win
the modus vivendi no longer in force. but WIN
all the authority Of the solemn decision OF the
chosen representatives OF fve great nations OPP
Grating In its place, the North American Com
mercal Company was not allowed 10 take
from the Prbyloff Islands more than lo'oOo
skiing while the pelagic sealers as they are
poltely called took $1,000 that belonged to the
Pribyoff group. and whose young ones were
either already dropped there or would DE
drnnnod tbere If the parents had not been slaugh-
tered But worse than this. While the seals
killed on and around the islands by the repre-
sentatives OF the North American commerce. .iS,
|mnarv were all bulls the ones slaughtered
in the open sea by the pelagic sealers were
bulls and cows. Take the catch OF the 81.
Petersburg Company, which leases the Noli.-
mander Islands from the Russian Government.
Thc company secured during the season 2.0oO
skins while the peagic sealers slaughtered S4'oVo
I'm the omen sea which certainly had their preed,
,n, yround on the Commander Islands. ana