Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-14
ENGLAND TOT BLAME
Continued from FRI paxsa

check of the dfminutie51.~ The reason for
this is that, in addition TO the saving OF
mothers, no pups were starved to death
In 1892 s',d 1898, and those which might
have been starved hava Returned as breed
ers or as killable seals III 1885 and 1885"
Since the receipt of Lord Sallsbury's dis
patch explicit inquiry has been made of
DR.. Jordan as to the relative condition OF
the herd in 1895 ard 1885, And in previous
years. and he has furnished the chapter
on the Decline of the. Herd" from the
forthcoming final report of himself and as
sociates, from which the following extract
Is taken: while the amount of the decline
cannot be given with mathematical exact
ness, 1t is possible from the data at hand
to make an approximate estimate. From a
careful study Of all the conditions, in our
opinion the fur seal herd of the Pribylon
Islands has decreased to about one-fifth its
size IN lS!2-74; to somewhat less than one
half Its size in $780, and that between the
seasons CT 1895 and 1895 there has been a
decrease of about 10 per cent"
Note of Alarm Sounded.
Although Prof. Thompson has been very
careful tlhrt ughout the report to say moth
ing likely to embarrass his government in
the "concll sions," the voice of the true
scientific il vestigator speaks in firm and
certain torres. While he regards 1.-The alarm
ing statements of the herds I'M
mense decrease as overdrawn, he says:
There Is still abundant need for care and
for prudent measures of conservation in
the interest of all. 1t is not difficult
to believe that the margin of safety is a
narrow one, if it be not already in some
measure overstepped. We may hone for a
perpetuation of the present numbers; We
cannot count upon an increase And it is
my earnest hope that recognition Of mu-
tuai interests and regard for the COM
mon advantage may suggest measures OF
prudence which shall keep the pursuit and
slaughter of the animals within due and
definite bounds"
In view of such explicit language 1t is not
easy to understand how Lord Salisbury
can reconcile his refusal to entertain the
proposals of the President with the inter-
eStS or his own countrymen, to say moth
ing OF the friendly relations which he de-
sires to maintain with the United States
Russia AID Japan.
The experience had with the scientific
commissions of 1892. as well as the reports
or 1876 just under review, shows that it is
difficult through tfem to reach a harmony
OF views. but we have at hand certain
statistics of undisputed authority pointing
Enthusiastically to conclusions which should
be controlling.
Decrease I'm the Catch.
The operations of the pelagic fleet in
Boring sea since the Paris regulations have
been in force are as follows:
1S94-Thirty- vessels 31,5s5 seals
taken. Oh an average of s53 per vessel.
1Sho-Fifty vessels, A. 1863 seals taken,
u all average OF t4S per vessel.
1S96-S1Xty seven vessels, 2o,iOO seals
taken. or an average of 40 per vessel.
1t thus appears that nearly double the
number of vessels in 1896 were not able TO
take as many seals as were taken in 1874.
and the catch per vessel fell off nearly one
half. Lord Salisbury attributes this large
falling off in Boring sea ito the stormy
weather prevailing" but does not cite his
authority. am not aware of any publish
ed report to that effect Capt Hooper, who
commanded the American cruising fleet in
Boring sea In 1895 and 1s6.' reports: THE
weather in Boring sea was mot materially
dlnerent In the last two1years. Conditions
admitted of boarding operations by the
Meet twenty-five days in 1884 and twenty
four days In 1896" .oi
An examination and comparison Of the
legs of sealing vessels for 1895 and 1896
confirms Capt. Hooper's ireport The above
figures, with The statistics contained in my
note of the 9th ult., to the British ambas-
sador, make it very clear that the seal
herd Is becoming rapidly depleted and
that 1.-THE margin of safety as Professor
thompson expresses it, has been already
overstepped." 1t is to be inferred that the
margin of safety" is intended to signify the
profitable. He cannot have had in mind
biological determination. for that point
could not have been reached so long as a
single bull and harem existed.
Scaling No Longer Profitable.
The point when sealing ceased to be prof
liable seems to have been reached during
last year. table appended to his report
shows that the total product of the pelagic
catch of 1896 in the London market was
about half the amount of that of 1885 and
Lord Salisbury informs us that this result
mas brought many owners of the sealing
vessels to the verge of bankruptcy" 1t
thus appears that the condition of things
predicted by the government of the United
states, as quoted below, has already come
orpn.ar o1N1
the seals. If pelagic sealing continues to
be tolerated, limited number of vessels
VIII carry on the indiscriminate slaughte-
IN the nope. by favorable cruise, of re-
couplng the losses of the previous years.
and the rookeries on the island will be still
further depleted. But the biological exist
ence or the fur seal may still be continued
ana her maJesty's ambassador may repeat
me declaration so often made during the
last two years that there is mo reason to
rear That the seal heard Is threatened with
early determination"
tHere follows long and exhaustive re-
view VI the EFFORTS made by Secretaries
Gresham and Olney to secure n Settlement
of the dispute.)
Ahade4uacy Of the British Pntrol
Inc manner In which the British govern
heht mas discharged its police duties under
the award Is In marked contrast with its
appeal Tor strict observance of the five
years period OF the regulations. An equal
oohsatioh rests upon each government to
patrol the waters embraced in the award
area IN order to see that the regulations
are not violated by the sealing vessels. In
1914 tne government of the United States
furnished twelve vessels for the patrollinp
meet at great expense, and only one vessel
" as furnished by the British government
IN 1898 five United States vessels patrollad
the award area. and only two British ves-
sels' one for short time only in Bering
sea. and the other took no part whatever
III the patrol, as its presence was almost
constantly required in Unalaska harbor to
take over the British sealing vessels seized
IN Bering sea- Owing to the repeated com
pants or the government of the United
states as to the inadequacy of the British
patrol. an additional cruiser was ordered
INTO Bering sea during the season of 1S96.
although 1t was stated by the British gov
eminent that, so far as they had been
able to judge, the force employed up to the
present time has been sufficient"
AS 1t is shown that practically no patrol
service mas been rendered in Boring sea by
the British cruisers during the previous
year, the inference from this language
Would seem to be that her majesty's gov
eminent understood that the American
cruisers only were to perform the patrol
duty, and the British cruisers to take over
ana act upon the validity of seizure of
British vessels
The detailed enforcement Or the regu1a-
tons has further developed On the part of
he I~Sfi eh