The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-18
TO SAVE THE SEALS.
New Convention to Be Made
Between the United States
and Great Britain.

WASHINGTON. Feb. IS. 1S96.-An in
teresting bit of diplomatic news was made
public. unofficially. by Assistant Secre-
tary Hamlin, at todays meeting of the
House Committee on Ways and Means. 1t
was to the effect that the State Depart
ment is now in correspondence with the
British Foreign Office looking to the ap-
pointment of a joint commission to in
yestigate all the conditions connected
with the fur seal industry in Behring
Sea and to consider and report what fur
ther regulations are necessary for their
preservation. In order that the work of
such a commission should be effective, it
is desirable that Russia and Japan may
also become parties thereto. but their con-
sent. it is well known. can be easily as
sured.
assistant Secretary Hamlin appeared be-
fd the committee with reference TO the
Dingfey bill creating, joint commission
consisting of the foregoing countries and
for the foregoing purposes: the adoption
of a modus vivendi pending the investi-
cation of the commission looking to the
protection of the animals. or if these eff
forts prove ineffective. permitting this
government to kill seals of both sexes on
the Pribyloff Islands. the proceeds to be
turned tnIp the OnlteQ states treasury.
Mr.. Hamlin showed that the herds are
in uanger determination as a result
of pelagic sealing. The regulations un-
eF tns arf AWhd hey da d he 5aF
enough. The closed season continued only
during the months of May, June and
July, but in August and September seal
ing could be resumed again at a time
when all the herds were near the is
lands. He regarded this an essential
ss b he 15 The hoghE Wond Taf pn gres
power in the hands of the President and
the Secretary of State and enable them
to secure modification of the regula-
tions. He, questioned, however, if it
would not be regarded as violation of
the Paris Award. Great Britain. he
violation of the Treaty and would not.
as a result, respect the closed season as
their poachers might follow the animals
Dingley said that the object of the treaty
was to preserve seal life on the high
seas, The regulations had failed in this
particular and additional regulations
were necessary. 1t is necessary. there
fore, in the interests of humanity and
for our own protection to kill the seals
not on the high seas but on our own
4 Mr.. Hamlin took strong ground against
the indiscriminate slaughter of the seals.
The majority of seals Killed in the water
are females and the death of each female
occasions the death of two others, the
one she is bearing and the. pup on shore,
|.
He believed that the adoption of such
Legislation would involve the Govern
ment in litigation with the North Ameri-
can Seal Company, which now has the
contract for killing seals on the island.
They might, he thought, set up a claim
for the proceeds of all seals killed as an
offset to the abrogation of their contract.
He. showed that We were. not the only
sufferers from pelagic sealing, but that
the losses to Russia last year had been
equal to ours.
Prof. Henry w. Elliott who followed
Mr. Hamlin. predicted that our efforts to
secure the cooperation of Great Britain
in protecting the animals would be fruit
less. He insisted that it was a waste of
time to be polite to the Canadian govern
ment, which is all powerful at the British
Court. So far as the suits of the Fur
Seal Company are concerned, they will sue
us anyhow for past alleged breaches of
contract. Prof. Elliott thought that if
the United States do no kill the seals the
industry will be ruined and that the COM
pany will sue us because we did keep
still. He produced statistics to show that
the number of seals on the islands in 1874
was nearly 5000.000. In 1890 they were
reduced to 100000 and last year the
number fell off to s175,00O He clos ed his
argument with an earnest appeal to the
committee to enact the legislation pro-
posed in the pending bill.