The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-02
THE VICTORIA SEALING FLEET.
so Far the Catch Has Been One of the
Smallest ON Record.

Victoria, June i--Special.-With the ar
raVal yesterday morning Of the schooner
Beatrice from the North Pacific ocean. IL
became POSSIBLE TO conplete the official
returns OF the Victoria sealing feet of
twenty-six vessels, which hunted this
spring along the coasts OF British Column
hia and Washington. Owing principally
10 the stormy weather. the catch this
year is one OF the smallest on record, and
unusually good luck in Bering sea Will be
necessary TO compensate the sealers for
The heavy expenses that have been in
CURED in fitting out. OF the thirty-two
schooners the Dora Steward. which, with
a catch OF 50s skins. has the honor this
year OF being top liner. viii he the only
one 10 pay expenses. This year the In
dian spearmen were considered prefer
able 10 white hunters. and consequently
na live crews manned almost every craft.
This policy. however. has since been re-
greTei. and many captains attribute
their failure 10 this cause.
Chief among casualties this season has
been the loss or he schooner Walter A.
Earle. with all on board Many minor
accidents occurred among the fleet but
all the vessels. with this single exception.
will he able 10 start on their second
cruise preparations for which are al
ready in progress. Within A fortnight.
vessels OF the Victoria fleet intending 10
enter Rering sea from the Russian side
will leave port. The Sapphire. Fayorite,
San Jose, Fawn and South Bend have re-
manned in port on the west coast, TO be
in readiness for operations on August !,
while the Mary Taylor and Otto have al
ready sailed for the Copper islands.
thence TO follow the sea herds into the
sea. The seasons returns, as announced
today by Collector A. r. Milne. are as
follows: Ainoka, 325 Annie c. Moore,
los; Aurora, los. Amateur. s.; Beatrice.
230: c. ID. Rand. I4S; Dora Steward, sos:
ENTERPRISE, 22f: FAwn, 2iS; Fisher Maid.
1os. Florence sr. Smith. 2ss; Favor1te, 15e:
Kilmeny, II. Katherine, 159; Kate, Isl.
Labrador. 81: Libbie. ga Mountain Chief.
80: Maud S. S7, May Belle, "a; Oscar
and Hattie, 147; Pachewellis. Sc: SatIcy
Lass. 257: Sappnire. 1872 San Jose. 143; South
Bend, 124: Shelby. 124 (seized by Corwinl;
Teresa, I02: Triumph. 3SS; Nicaragua. iS1;
and w L.. Rich. 14S-a total of 5,3oS, ex-
elusive of the Shelby's IA. The coast
ca tch for last year was u.70S, while for
fSa3 Il was over. foiHbfe that figure. The
Director. which ~ not mentioned In the
above list secured 60 skins while en-
route TO Victoria. at the Falkland ISL
ands.
Resides the vessels above mentioned.
thirty-three are hunting off the Japan
coast. OF these the appended reports ars
received by the collector today: Mer-
maid, lib: Pioneer, 800: Annie Il.
Paint 100: Ariets, $50; Carlotta q. Cox,
$50: City of San Diego. $50: Brenda, 1is;
Mary Ellen. 500; Ocean Belle. 600; vera
$50: Borealis. 3s1: Louis Olsen.
4f3. Mascot. 900: Teresa, SS9. with nine
teen of the fleet 10 hear from. The Amer
ican schooners OF the Japan feet report
.i,e following: Idaetta. $50; Emma Louise,
$50: Josephine 2oi: Allie I. Agar. 600: An
a,onda. zoo: Alton. 80; Bonanza 500; Ed
ward F. Webster. 237 Herman, 300; Jane
C,~e,. sno. ! Fppinger, 100: M. NJ. Morrill,.
100. Rather. 900: Winchester. $50: Golden
Fleece. 300: Matte T. Dyer, e2i; Sophie
sutherland 1913. and Willard Ainsworth.
zi5