Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-24
THE SEALING GROUNDS
Instructions Issued to the Commander Of
the Patrol Fleet
Provisions of the Act of Congress
Giving Effect to the Award of
the Paris Tribunal,

The following are the instructions is
sued to Commander Clark of the Mohican,
commanding the Bering sea patrol fleet:
Having been detailed to command a
force of naval vessels and revenue cutters
| to carry out the provisions of an act of
Congress, approved April 8, 1894, to give
effect to the award rendered by the tribu-
nal Of arbitration at Paris, under the treaty
between the United States and Great Brit
ain, concluded at Washington, February
20. 1892. for the purpose of submitting to
arbitration certain questions concerning
the preservation Of the fur SEALS and Of
the Presidents proclamation Of the same,
dated Washington, D. c., April 0, 1894. you
will order the vessels under your command
70 warn all American and British vessels
they may meet outside of the waters pro-
hibited by this act. not to enter these
waters Tor the purpose OF sealing during
the periods of time in which fur seal fish
ing is so prohibited, and you will deliver
to the commanding officer of each vessel
so warned copy of the Presidents procla-
nation, of the British act and of these
instructions. An entry showing the notice
of warning shall be made upon the regis
ter of all vessels of the United States and
Great Britain that have been warned.
Fur Seal Fishing Forbidden.
I'm accordance with the provisions of the
above mentioned act, as appears by ref
erence to section one thereof, fur seal fish
Ing Is forbidden to the persons mentioned
therein. and to all subjects of Great Bri-
tain, to persons owing the duty of obe-
dience to the laws or the treaties of Great
Britain, and to all persons belonging to
or on board of a vessel of Great Britain,
at any time, or in any manner whatever
outside of territorial waters, In the wa
ters surrounding the Pribilov Islands with
IN zone OF ~ geographical miles thereof
(oo to degree of latitude) around said
Islands inclusive of the territorial waters
You Will observe that the act of Con-
gress extends the zone referred to in this
paragraph % geographically miles around
SAID Islands, exclusive of the territorial
waters, but you are hereby instructed to
treat the limit as extending only 90 (geo-
graphicaD miles around said islands in
elusive OF the territorial waters. The word
exclusive was inadvertently inserted in
the act of Congress. instead of the word
inclusive, which appears in the award
and which 1t Is the purpose Of the act to
enforce.
The boundary Lines.
During the season extending from May
l to July 81. both inclusive in each year.
fur-seal fishing is forbidden to all persons
mentioned in the first section of the act
and to all subjects of Great Britain, to per-
sons owing the duty of obedience to the
laws or the treaties of Great Britain, and
a vessel of Great Britain, not only i'm the
zone mentioned in the third paragraph of
these instructions, but in that part of the
Pacific ocean. including Bering sea, which
is situated to the north of the 35th degree
of north latitude and to the east of the
1S0th degree of longitude from Greenwich,
till II strikes the water boundary between
the, United States and Russia. This bound
airy line passes through a point in Ber-
ing straits on the parallel of Is degrees 80
minutes north latitude at its inters ton
by the meridian which passes midway be-
tween the islands of Krusenstern or Igna-
look, and the island of Ratmanoff or Noon
arhook, and proceeds due north, without
limitation, into the same frozen ocean.
The same western limit, beginning at the
same initial point, proceeds thence in a
course nearly southwest, through Bering
straits and Bering sea, so as to pass mid
way between the northwest point of the
| Island of St Lawrence and the southeast
| point of Cape Choukotsld, to the meridian
of l72 west longitude; thence from the in
| tersection of that meridian, in a south
westerly direction, until it strikes the 1SOth
degree of longitude from Greenwich.
General Regulations.
1.-THE regulations respecting the special
| license for sailing vessels, and the dis
| tinguishing flag to be worn by the same,
during the open season, mentioned in sec
| tions and of the act, are hereafter to be
prescribed and promulgated by the govern
|
Britain. Any vessel or person described in
| the first section of this act, any subject
| of Great Britain, or person owing obedience
| to the laws or the treaties of Great Britain,
or any person belonging to or on board of
any vessel of Great Britain, unauthorized
| by this act, found to be or to have been en-
ployed in sealing, during the period of time
and in the waters therein prohibited,
| whether with or without warning and any
of such vessels or persons found therein.
| whether warned or not, having on board or
in their possession, apparatus or implements
suitable for taking seal, or seal skins, or
bodies of seals, you will order seized.
| The Proper Authorities.
1.-The commanding officer making the
seizure will, at the time thereof, draw up a
declaration in writing, stating the condi-
tion of the seized vessel, the date and
place of seizure. giving latitude and longi-
tude and circumstances showing guilt. The
seized vessel will be brought or sent, as
soon as practicable. with all persons on
board thereof, in charge of sufficient force
to insure delivery, together with witnesses
and proofs, and the declaration of the
officer making the seizure, if American, to
the most convenient port of Alaska, Cali
| fornia, Oregon or Washington, and there
delivered to the officers of the United States
court having Jurisdiction to try the offense
and impose penalties for the same; and, If
British, to Uralaska, and there delivered
| to the senior British naval officer present
or to the most convenient port in British
Columbia, and delivered to the proper au-
| tho rites of Great Britain, or delivered to
the commanding officer of any British ves-
sci charged with the execution Of the award
herein referred to.
"A signed and certified list of the papers
of the seized vessel will be delivered to the
master thereof, and duplicate copy will
be transmitted with the declaration