The morning call., 1895-02-19
MORE MERCY FOR
TEE FUR SEALS.
AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION
SUGGESTED FOR THEIR
PROTECTION.
THEY ARE FAST DYING OUT.
The WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
CALL FOR STRINGENT
MEASURES.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.-Chairman Will
son OF the Ways and Means Committee to-
day made report to the House upon the
bill introduced as a substitute for Repre-
sentative Dingley's bill and providing for
the organization of an international COM
mission to investigate the hunting of seal
herds of the North Pacific and Boring Sea
and authorizing the President to arrange
modus yivendi with Great Britain, Japan
and Russia pending the report.
The regulations determined upon by the
Paris tribunal are reviewed and the declar-
alton by Baron Courcel, Justice Harlan
and Senator Morgan quoted which states
that in view of the critical state to which
the fur seals have been reduced the arbi-
traitors recommend both Governments to
come to an understanding to prohibit the
killing of fur seals on land or sea for
period of two or three years, or at least one
year, subject to such exceptions as the two
Governments might think proper to admit
of, and that "such measure might be re-
Cured to at occasional intervals if found
beneficial"
The report says: "The results of the first
year s season, under the new award, have
fully demonstrated the wisdom of this
declaration. During the season of 1894,
just expired, during which regulations of
the award were operative, there are known
to have been killed on the American side
OF the North Pacific Ocean and in the
Bering Sea 55,6S6 seals, larger number,
it would appear from official statis-
tics and estimates on the files of the
Treasury Department, than were ever be-
fore taken by pelagic sealers from the
American herd.
''The number of seals killed on Pribyloff
Islands under the lease to the North
American Company, has decreased from
104, 521 in 1885, to 1908 in 1894, when, al
though the company was authorized to
kill 10000, the agent reported only 5000
could be taken on account of the alarming
decrease in the herd.
"When it is considered that at least
three-fourths of the seal catch were females,
heavy with young" the report continues,
land that probably at least half as many
more were killed and lost, while all of the
island catch were carefully selected males
some conception may be had of the disas-
trous results of pelagic sealing. While it
is evident from these figures and the re-
port made to Congress by the Secretary of
the Treasury that the seal herds are rap
idly nearing determination under the OPP
Grafton of the articles of the Paris award,
the Senator is glad to report that as re-
CARDS the North Pacific Ocean, exclusive
of Bering Sea, the award regulations have
done much good in stopping sealing during
May, June and July. The benefits of the
closed season in the North Pacific Ocean,
however, are practically destroyed by the
effect of the award opening Boring Sea
Except the sixty-mile zone) after July 81
to pelagic sealers. 1t being apparent that
the extinction of the seal herd is ques-
ton of a very short time unless more effect
i've regulations are adopted to prevent the
slaughter, your committee has unani-
mously reported the bill"
twill be remembered that section of the
bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treas
ury, under certain contingencies which it
is profoundly hoped will never arise, to
take and kill all of the seals on the island,
on the ground that mercy and humanity
prescribe that the slaughter of females
with pups unborn or left to die of starva-
ton be prohibited, if not by amicable in
ternational adjustment, then by merciful
speedy determination. Under the bill
method is provided for adding to the field
of knowledge upon the simple subject by
an international commission, and pending
its report the establishment of new regu-
lation which will give this valuable indus
try well-earned respite.
Section 5, referred to, is practically the
Dingley bill, authorizing the Secretary of
the Treasury to kill the seals in case the
other countries decline to enter into an
agreement for their further protection.