The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-02-16
A MARITIME CONFERENCE
Labors Of a Humanitarian for the
Protection Of Animals at Sea.
A Bill Has Been Introduced Into the
House of Representatives for an Inter
national Conference on q Matter of
Great Commercial Importance.

Mr.. William Hosea Ballou, of New
York, whose work in connection with
the suppression of cruelty to animals
in transit at sea has attracted so much
attention during the last few years,
has at last succeeded in getting bill
into congress calling for an interna-
tional maritime conference to regulate
and punish such abuses. says the Bos-
ton Globe.
The object of the maritime confer
ence is ''to make, devise and amend
the rules, regulations and practice
concerning the transportation of ami
mails at sea and their lives and
slaughter in quarantine; for the
proper construction of vessels for ami
mails in transit; for the punishment Of
navigation companies or vessel own
ers, their officials and employees, for
cruelty to animals at sea; to make
navigation companies or vessel owners
liable in damages for destruction of or
injury to animals in transit; and to
formulate and submit for ratification
to the governments of all maritime
nations proper international regula-
tions, laws, penalties and punishments
for cruelty to animals at sea-"
Mr. Ballou was in Boston recently
and talked very entertainingly con-
cerning his work and the abuses which
led him to take up the cudgel in de-
fense of the animals. Said he:
"All animals sailing from port
usually sail under the flag of that port
hn Of
destination under foreign flag. The
country of entry has no jurisdiction
over the animals or any acts that may
be committed on them while under the
flag they sail under.
''The party shipping them is obliged
to sign q manifest ceding all rights to
the property while at sea, and on
arrival is obliged to take the animals
dead or MANNED without damage or
redress. have been two and a half
years ascertaining officially from each
government that it has no jurisdiction
nor law by which it could punish navi-
cation companies or their employees
manning cattle in transit. Of the
forty-six million dollars worth of ami
mails which have passed to and from
the ports of the United States in one
year, six million dollars worth have
been destroyed by cruelty.
'"The stock interests of various ma
tions are so enormous financially that
it is impossible to estimate the amount
of animals destroyed in transit be-
tween nations by cruelty. No nation
has denied the charge of cruelty to
animals by their subjects which have
preferred Nor has any nation failed
to express it's horror at the crime COM
mitted at sea and its desire to suppress
it by international legislation.
Congressman Cummings has now
introduced into the house of repre-
sentatives my bill for an international
maritime conference, to be invited by
the president, to be held at Washing.
ton, with seven delegates from this
country and about one hundred and
fifty delegates from other countries to
enact legislation for the better care
and protection of animals in transit.
"An appropriation of fifty thousand
dollars has been called for, and Sen
ator Hill, of New York, has agreed to
take charge of the bill when it reaches
the senate.
Secretary Gresham, in behalf of tho
government, has made an argument
giving the governments unqualified
Endorsement to the bill, and stating,
that several other governments have
communicated with the state depart
ment for this very legislation.
''Such a maritime conference will
have larger financial interests involved
and more legislation to enact than has
heretofore been internationally en-
acted"