The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-10-16
DlMINUTION OF SEALS.
Annual Report of James Sheakly,
Governor Of Alaska.
BRITISH MAINLY RESPONSIBLE,
Says the Governor, for the Ruthless De-
struction of Female seais at Sea, by
Wholly Ignoring the Provisions Laid
Down by the Paris Tribunal.


struotion of Female sssis at Sea. by
Wholly Ignoring the Provisions Laid
Down by tho Paris Tribunal.
WASHINGTON, Oct, 1e.-James sheakly,
governor Of Alaska, In his annual report
to the secretary of the interior, says re-
garding the Disappearance Of the seals:
NO one at all familiar with the past
history of the islands can look upon the
deserted rookeries today and not realize
with crushing force how great has been
the diminution Of seal life, especially of
the reproductive class, the females"
fhe governor says that the claims of the
Canadians and the British that the ex-
cessive killing Of seal on land is the cause
OF the depletion is disproven by the
statistics. He says that on the rookeries
now there are many male SEALS while
females are scarce. Tho dlminution is
due directly to the killing at sea, where
no discrimination can be made as to the
sex of tho seals. He says that better
protection must be granted them than is
afforded by the Paris tribunal, and that
the schooners have not been able to make
the usual catches this season, the catch of
the British vessels being not over 900
per vessel.
only hope of saving themselves from loss
was Behring sea, as the supply here
1Pribyloff) is greatly diminished. Great
Britain gave to the Canadian sealers in
creased facilities by availing herself of a
technicnlity, and violating the clear in
tent of the Paris regulations relating to
firearms. When the Canadian authori-
ties secured from England what is prac-
tically repudiation, or at least mega
tion of the Paris tribunal. they knew 1t
would be possible for British Columbian
schooners coming from the Aslatic side Of
the sea to use the allowed firearms and
evade detection by asserting that the skins
found on board with shot wounds while
in Behrlng sea were skins taken on the
Japan coast"
The governor says that the remedy for
the evil Is simple, but under existing
conditions Its application Is difficult, un-
less Great Britain has forfeited, by her re-
cent action, all right to consideration, and
the United States hold with a firm hand
all vessels engaged in destroying seals.
The remedy laid down by the Paris trib-
unal has proved failure"
The governor says that $1,000 skins were
taken on the islands this year, ard $1,000
were taken by poachors, 10 per cent. Of
which were females.
The governor says that the patrol Of the
sea by the United Statos has boon of the
best, and the government has acted in good
faith In its efforts to enforce the Paris tri-
bunal
The governor discusses at some length
the miuing industries of Alaska, and says
that the production indicates that 1t will
be profitable and permanent industry.
The laws of the mining country are ad-
ministered by the miners themselves, and
1t Is wholly impracticablc to try to exer-
else government control Of the mines at
present.
Upon the subject of the Alaskan bound.
ary the governor says; ''The people Of
Alaska, over the whole country, expect
and believe that the government of the
United States will defend and maintain
our right to all the territory, included
within the boundary line fixed and agreed
upon by treaty made between Great
Britain and Russia in 1925, and acquiosced
In for nearly throe-quartors of a century
without question or dispute"