The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-03-04
To Be Investigated by q Joint
Commission.
WHAT Is BEING DONE IN CONGRESS.
No Action Yet Taken on the Nicaragua
Canal. Reilly Fnnding or Naval Reor-
gaaizatiOn RiIls-Latest TelegFaphIe
News From All Parts OF the World.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-Importaut
action upon the seal fisheries in the
Behring Sea was taken today by the
House ways and means com mlttee.
It was agreed to authorize the Presi-
dent to invite the Governments of
Great Britain, Russia and Japan to
unite with the United States in send
ing joint commission to investigate
the seal fisheries of the North Pacific
and Behring Sea.
The President would be authorized
to arrange a modus vivendi with three
powers for the protection OF the seals
until the report of the commission
has been made and acted upon. The
Secretary of the Treasury will be en-
powered to take steps to kill the seals
under the terms of the Dingley bill,
in case these nations refuse to join the
United States in an Investigation.
The plan which the committee
agreed upon was recommended by AS
sistant Secretary Hamlin Of the
Treasury Department, who visited the
Alaskan waters last year, and looked
into the seal interests there, aud by
Chairman Wilson. Each Govern
ment that decides to become a party
TO the agreement will be invited TO
designate three commissioners and to
arrange that the commission shall be-
eiu its work without deIay. There
has been much discus-iOn IN the COM
mlttee of the propFiety of reopening
the seal question in view OF the relR-
tions adopted as q result OF the tiud-
Ings of the Paris tribunal, aUd the
question was admitted TO be one
which afforded grounds for q differ
ence of opinion. The members were
unanimously of the opinion that the
regulations had fallen short "f accom-
plishing their purpose, and IL was
contended that Great Britain could
have no reason for dissatisfaction If
representations are made to her that
the speedy differentiation of the seal
herd is inevitable unless further meas
ures OF protection shall be adopted,
and If she is invited to CO operate
with the other Governments which
arr interested in the seal inquiry.
The com mission takes the view that
rules should be adopted TO govern seal
fishing in all the northern waters,
tho-e under the Jurisdiction of Russia
and Japan as we'll as those of Great
Britain and the United States. The
establishment of the present mile
limit is held to be entirely insufficient
for protection. The proposal adopted
by Mr.. Dingley, that the United
States should proceed to kill the seals
if the other powers decline to take
steps for additional restrictions,
set med at first q rather startling one.
but after consideration the commits
sion was brought to its support, and
holds that this Government has power
to do whatever IL thinks best with the
seals in its territory aud in the waters
under its jurisdiction.
Whether the Senate will take the
same view of the ques ton involved in
this new plan is a subject Of debate,
for Senator Morgan has ar gued that
the work of the Paris tribuI al was en-
tirely effective.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 The House
me mbers clamOring for consideration
Of important measures, chief among
which are the Reilly funding bill,
canal and naval reOrgau-
zatiOn. Petitions are being circu-
lated asking recognition for the last
named measure, but the prospects for
It's consideration by this Congress are
poor. Crisp has given Crazy no de-
;ision yet concerning the Nicaraguan
;anal bill.
Mr.. Catchings stated positively to.
lay that the Reilly bill would not
receive any more time, but intimaled
hat ii some compromise measure
could he arranged satisfactorily to all
concerned 1t might possibly be con-
Iidered.