The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-13
now poAcHEns WILL BE 1REATsp

now PozCHERs WILL BE 1RE<TRD.
tn. Practical worni.s or q. British s.s
Americ.. R.ies for Seal Hunti.s.
WASHINGTON. April 12.-Ths passage Of the
BehrinR Sea bill In the British House Of Com
mons, closely following the final enactment OF
| n statute on the Same subject by the Congress
Of the United States. gave assurance that
| such partial protection as can be afforded to
| the fur seals by the decision OF the Paris
tribunal will be furnished this season. IL then
only remained for the House Of Lords to COM
| plete tho work.
II is gain to settle the matter by perma-
| mont legislative enactm ents, instead OF q tenn
porary executive modus pipendi. such as
| seemed at one time necessary. In consequence
| of the delays both Of Parliament and Congress
| to act upon the subject Both countries were
bound in honor to furnish the laws needed
| to enforce the Paris decision. and as even
rnodus pirendi ought to follow the lines OF that
| decision, the sim plsst and the best way Is to
lay down the permanent regulations In the
FIRST instance. The time fixed for the opera
| ton OF restrictions each season 10 May l. and
| long before that date the new rules should
| be prom ulnated.
| But meanwhile the sealing season In the
| lower ATTITUDES has already begun; sealing
| vessels have already cleared from British
| Colum bia and are at their work. and the ques-
| ton arises as to what shall be done with them
| on and after May l. This brings up the main
point OF difference between the British and the
| American statutes. The American act. after
reciting nine articles Of the award made by
| the Paris tribunal forbids the killing. captur-
| ing. or pursuing Of fur seals at any time within
a zone Of sixty miles around the Pribylov
| Islands, exclusive OF their territorial waters.
| or on the high seas outside Of that zono. atany
| time from May to July 81 OF each year. The
penalty for violations OF the act is fixed at q
| fine OF not less than 5000. or an imprisonment
for not more than six months or both. These
prohibitions and penalties are necessarily
limited to citizens q the United States or per
United States vessel Of citizen p.,. 9tlsndin
snS: saa sessi Tntsd states OF row
s sss as to wha.hsr Il would keep good faith
dams raised an cutory against the arrests Of
s sa;hors Again fiis'a said "a. tSssas.
pp IL. Brsa
more more than $500 Tor unlawful sealing. That
R %s WAS na ssaesd Ss odI e. .
view OF the great profits Of 2 successful
season might wei run the risk q penalty n. to
sympathetic. Finally. when the bill was
actually introduced into Parliament Il was
| found that the seventh clause exempted to
certain extent from It's operation vessels whose
Captains could show that they had cleared be-
taking Of seals. and hence that they were una
| ware OF It's provisions
posterous. In view OF the fact that even the
seizs Canadian Offenders to aitemp t to restrict
| that right now under the Paris decision. The
would defeat the systsm Of protection, since il
IL well understood that hereafter as hitherto
esrS GSTt T os
British sealers and even single British war
ship si%p: neglect on the ps s Of tho lat
the British bill now se:m; more sstisiactoEy
drawn for amendment after being Introduced.
A yessel Infringing the terms OF the act Is now
s2.5o6 unasr one provision Of the bill as
II stands. That Is clearly a severe penalty.
io %n ' to contain SnsatisfaetoEy penalties It
| may be assumed that there Is little cause for
srnment has the responsibility OF enforcing
| the sealing rules against its own SUBJECTS, as
tie case =. aRSsr the b.y .. ss d.
| posed OF by British courts under British laws.
and accordingly must Leave the B RITZ P.riis
| 1t seems likely that the provisions OF the Brit
| ish bill will prove adequate In this PARTICULAR.
| As 10 the third point, the bearing OF Clause
Seven OF the British bill on the arrest and pun
ishmeat OF sealsrs. tbs, explanation OF Sir
place. II 10 clear that the clause would apply in
any event only TO the present season. because
next y.sr' would be aceoppsnisd BY iull
notice OF the pending act. which before that
%por TSSd taet 'i 7. N sSs IL the
House Of Commons this clause dos ;,. not at all
sail before the pas age OF the act to 90 on yio-
| lating it with impunity. All that IL does 70 TO
permit such vessels 70 plead ,9ss9sp th thss
incurred under thesAet shall not be Imposed
HpOn them. The purpose Of the &C, Is 70 re.
| offended unintentionAllY. -
Just here there 10 a certain additional dim
the ground that the moment the restrictions
prescribed BIZ the Paris tribunal were an
been had upon that point. but 1t does not ap-
snnouHesd By the Paris tribunal. and the
S SfS:s @o iSS:! S S" BiI:h iii dq:s not
| smpt British vessels which cleared for sealing
sSSs tine ago E0% ao si' Ss . r. @
penalties, u they could sh9T that they had ID
| the N at any time after the bill becomes Law.
The prActicalrssult therefore. will presumably
under It can be given. both American and
| British patrol vessels will visit the various
| Dominion sealing craft which thsJ come across
! in their cruising aud serve the noties. This u
| exactly what was done under The n0dus rirend
/ In : similar case OF clearance prior to an an
| nounesmsnt OF the rules agreed upon By the
| two countries Sir Charles knslsl says that
| any continuance OF the prohibited sealing
after notice would Incur the full penalties OF
/ the act
Evidently, then. ARRANGEMENTS can be mad.
| under which the notice ot the provisions OF
| the act served BY an American vessel uDon
| British ss1lsI will be as snseJusl As notice
| By the Collector at the time 81 clearance Any
| Violation OF the act alter that notice would
| then sub Set the offender 10 punishment
| The actual result will probably % some
| taxing Of seals In the North Pacific for = esr-
| tain time after MAJ /. and until warnings can
| be served but the stationinE 81 pAtIollinR YES
| sea- herd enters Bshring SEA will enable them
/ to Intercept most Of the sealing sehoonsrs that
| have not previously been warned In sxeSD;
/ tionAl eases a vessel might not Be oysrhaulsd
/ until late Ia the season, but, on the whole.
the dsIAysd lssiilation n M. siss esTtsi1n