Evening star., 1894-03-15
PROTECTING THE SEALS
The Strong Fleet Uncle Sam Will Main
tain at Bering Sea.
The Different Vessels and Their Pres
ent MOvements-The Marion De-
layed-Few Violations.

Regardless Of the result of the negotia-
tons between the government of Great
Britain and the United States for the prac-
tical enforcement of the regulations of the
arbitration for the protection of the seal
fisheries, Secretary Herbert has gone ahead
Systematically for the organization of
large fleet of vessels for the patrol Of Ber-
ing sea and adjacent waters during the
coming season. Whether the prohibited
zone be large or small he has arranged
that the final agreement shall be made eff
fective. and the same applies, whether the
operations are conducted under the regula-
tions adopted by the Paris tribunal or un-
der the modus vivendi of former years.
According to present arrangements, the
Bering sea fleet will be composed of thir-
teen vessels, including four vessels Of the
revenue marine service, viz: The Grant,
Bear. Corwin and Rush, and one vessel of
the 1sh commission, the Albatross The
naval vessels destined to this service are
the Mohlcan, Adams, Marion, Ranger, York
town, Bennington, Concord and Petrel
Inc Boston and Thetis may also be
utilized for patrol duty. The eight naval
vessels named are all under orders for SER
vice IN Eering sea, at the opening of the
season, May l. Some of them are now be-
ing htted out at San Francisco, and most
or the others Will concentrate there before
the 1st of May. Those at or near San
francisco are the Boston, Mohican, York
town ana Thetis. The Ranger is in Guate-
maia, on her way to the rendezvous The
Bennington, which was detached from the
European station, left Pernambuco several
days ago with orders TO proceed with all
dispatch to San Francisco. The Adams is
at Honolulu, and is due at Sitka May /
The Concord and Petrei, on the Chinese
station, are under orders to report at Una
ldska about the same time. The Marion is
the onIy vessel the presence of which is in
Qouot she was caught in typhoon off
Japan, about two weeks ago and was com
PEELED to put back to Yokohama fer re-
pairs She may be delayed beyond the date
nxed for the rendezvous, but will eventual
ly get to Bering sea. With this tremendous
Meet OF vessels on the sealing grounds it
is not believed that there will be any ex-
tensive violations of the regulations this
season.
1t is not believed that poachng to any
extent, will be attempted before July / for
the reason tnat the seals do not gather in
large numbers in Bering sea much before
that date, and the vessels that have set
out Tor japanese waters will not reach the
sea much earlier. So that, up to that time
the patrol will probably be confined to the
strip OF ocean To the east and south of
Cnalaska. The seals make their annual
appearance of the coast IF northern Cali
forna in April and proceed slowly pcrth
never FAR from the coast, however, The
great bulk of them reaching the vicinity of
Sltka early in June. 1t is during this mi
grafton that the pOaCnars do the greatest
damage as the slaughter goes ON indis-
crimlnately in the smooth waters near the
headlands. The patrol fleet Will therefore
ma small dlIiculty IN foliowinI, the herds
ana Keeping poacilers at safe distance
W hen the sea is entered ii is thought there
VIII be no difficulty at all in maintaining
the full zone around the Pribylofr Islands