Evening star., 1896-12-31
POLICING SEAL SEAS
The Cruise Of Albatrogs in the
North Pacific.
WORK OF THE sRAL COMMISSION
First Study Of the Asiatic Breeding
Grounds.
SOME NEW GEOGRAPHY

Lieutenant Commander J. F. Moser COM
| manding the fish commission steamer Alba
tross, has arrived in the city from San
Francisco, where his ship now lies. He
| has been summoned to Washington upon
official business in connection with the fur
seal investigation. The Albatross has just
returned to San Francisco after a cruise
| of $1,000 miles In the North Pacific ocean.
She sailed from Puget sound the latter
part of June with the American and Brit
| ish commissions appointed for the scientific
investigation of fur seals. Dutch Harbor
| in Oonalaska was reached July 8, and after
coaling the voyage was continued to the
Pribilov Islands in Bering sea. Bogoslof
| volcano, that remarkable cone which bare
ly shows the tip of its nose above the sea,
was passed en- route, but was apparently
| inactive. This is the first time since its
appearance. about one hundred years ago.
that clouds of vapor and smoke have not
been constantly arising from this volcano
A few years ago these clouds extended
away to the leeward Of the island for forty
or fifty miles when the wind blew strong.
Knmchntka Seal Grounds.
The Albatross remained at the Pribilov
| Islands until July 20, when she returned
| to Dutch Harbor for coal All the COM
| missioners except DR.. Stejneger and the
captain remained on the Seal Islands to
study the life of the seal on the rookeries
After ccaling at Dutch Harbor the vessel
took her departure and reached the Com
mander Islands on the Russian side of
Rering sea July 80. A stay of ten days
V as made at these islands, and the rook-
cries were thoroughly examined.
Leaving PreobrajeRski, which is only a
small Aleut settlement. the Albatross next
went to Petropaulovski in Kamchatka.
When the vessel visited Petropaulovski last
tary headquarters of Kamchatka and the
residence of the military government.
Everything is run by the military officials.
The Albatross left Petropaulovsk Sep
cries on the Kurile Islands and then
crossed the Sea of Okhotsk to Robben
Island, an cff-lying rock on the coast Of
Saghalien.
cent volcanic origin, very similar to the
Aleutian system, and In the same manner
as the latter separates Bering sea from the
Pacific. so do the Kuriles separate the Sea
many active VOLCANOES among the kuriles,
and several were observed by the Albatros
in action, smoke and vapor arising from
their SUBMITS in intermittent clouds. They
are also for the most part barren, al
though the Japanese government has re-
Gently been doing little colonizing on the
more southerly Of the Chain, which are
| we'll wooded and capable of maintaining
once supported a large nnmber of fur seals
on several well-knCwn rookeries, but upon
the visit of the Albatross not single fur
seal was found, the boachers having killed
off the Japanese herd. SO that none now
visit the breeding grounds.
Russian Seal Guard.
The Russian government maintains ma
I'd Of Talk x,ff
officer and squad Of mep in charge, while
some Aleuts from the Commander Islands
are sent there each season to do the kill
ing. They formerly obtained about thou
sand skins year. When the killing sea-
son is over and the seals begin to leave
everybody is taken off the island for the
winter. 1t is only high rock, about half
mile long, with broad beaches surround
ing it, upon which the seals haul out
Early in September the Albatross reached
Hakodate, and two weeks later anchored
in the bay of Yokohama. The ship seemed
to be curiosity to the Japanese, and eX-
cited great deal Of interest among them
She was examined daily by throngs of peo-
pie, among them being. students from the
Imperial University at Toxic. and their In
structors. Application was made for the
use OF one Of the imperial docks at Yoko-
suka, near Yokohama, for the purpose of
cleaning AID painting the ships bottom.
The request vas granted at once, although
three months before they could secure a
dock. While the Albatross was on the
blocks the Japanese thoroughly inspected
and. and measured ea her. and it is considered
likely that they contemplate building
vessel for deep-sea exploration. Before
sailing from Yokohama Capt Moser took
out party Of scientists and naturalists
from the bureau of agriculture and fisher
les and the University of Toxic. to show
them the actual working Of the vessel in
deep-sea exploration.
After .Y remaining at Yokohama for
ward voyage. and reached Honolulu No
vember Z, after run of sixteen days. At
Honolulu the main topics were politics and
the prospects OF Pacific cable, until No
vember II, when the steamer CITY of Pc
king brought the news via Japan that Nc
kinley was elected. Then the subject of
annexation was Of main interest to the
people the impression seeming to prevail
generally that the prospect for annexation
would brighten under the Mckinley admin-
istration. The vessel reached San Fran
CISCO, after voyage Of eleven days from
aonoiulu, made exciting for couple of
Gays py nre in the coal bunkers.
Results of the Voyage.
The cruise of the Albatrcss on the Asiat-
ic coast is very important one in connec
ton with the fur seal question. By a per-
sonal visit to the Kuriles by a portion of
the commission, the history and present
condition Of the rookeres in that locality
have for the first time been definitely as
certalned. while additional information has
been obtained of the Russian interest I'm
this important question
The vessel has also added something to
the geography of that far-off country by
observations at several stations for geo
graphical position and magnetic declina-
ton, and by three lines Of deep-sea sound
ings across the Sea Of Okhotsk and one
line from Bering Island to Cape Kosloff, on
the Kamschatka COAST The deep-sea trawl
was frequently used in obtaining specimens
from the ocean Depths.
The Albatross win .refit on the Pacific