The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-25
BUTCHERY OF SEALS.
The Killing Of Females in Ber-
ing Sea an Outrage.
THE SEAL PUPS MUST STARvE.
Great Pecuniary Loss by This Needless
Waste of Aninals-e., 900 Found
Dead on the Islands.

Washington City, Nov. 24-Tnfornation
reaches here that the revenue cutter Bear
the last government vessel 10 leave Bering
sea, has just brought down some starting
evidence Of the effect Of pe-agic sealing
upon the Alaskan seal herd when ire
quents the Prio!loff or seal islands
In accordance with the findings or the
Paris arbitration, schoolers are now per
n1itted 70 hunt seals in Ber.ng sea Win
spears in a zone sixty miles around lhe
islands from the first Of August TX was
thought that combining sealing schooners
to spears and reducing the season 10 prac-
tically five or six weeks would STOP the
slaughter in Bering sea and allow the
herd TO recuperaEe. This year not less than
sixty schooners began hunting in Bering
sea August ! and captured 1890 pelts,
about 50 per cent. of which were females.
This does not show the fun extent OF IN
jury done. The seal pups are dependent
on their mothers milk for the first four or
FIVE months OF their existence, and with
out IL must suffer starvation. Acting I'M
der the Instructions Of their respective ST.
per.ors, both resident treasury officers and
agents OF the North American Commercial
Company. made count of the dead pups
found at the close OF the season, when the
sealing schooners had left the sea. The
census was Just completed when the Bear
left and reached q, 600, and does not include
those in the last stages of starvation. The
same conditions prevailed last year, but
the count was made with less exactness
on account of snow. l. Is said that the
actual pscuniary loss 70 the United States
and the commercial world by this needless
waste OF animals will reach hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars
The United States. which has never al
lowed the molestation Of breeding grounds
or killing Of females on land. made an eff
fort last wear to stay the slaughter going
on by limiting the land killing to 1900
immature males. II is questionable if, in
the face of existing conditions and the re-
ports OF the treasury officials, further re-
stra!nt will be exercised. especially as a
request made last January by the United
States TO Great Britain for greater pro-
lection to the seals has been practically ig-
nored. 1t was attempted by the United
states TO stop the barbarity practiced on
seals by Selling the schooners that sub
Jected the government TO claims for dam
ages on the part OF Canada These claims,
which were rejected last year by congress,
are again receiving attention from the
state department. and the articles of a
convention providing for a commission TO
sit al Victoria are being considered.
1t is believed in congressional circles
that unless a treaty. which must be rati-
fled by two-thirds vote of the senate,
confines the assessment OF damages strict
~ TO vessels passed upon by the Paris tri-
bunai and provides a penalty on the part
OF all the witnesses called by either gov
eminent. 1t will suffer the same fate as
did Secretary Gresham's proposition to
pay TO Canada s425. 900 out OF hand, despite
the fact that a number of schooners be-
longed TO American subjects and nearly
three-fourths OF the claims are for pros
pective catches of seals