The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-04
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idDltI never ItdCNRu NHdl imperfect dbtt
hide. If the moral history of The seal
could be written up it would appall the
nation. Now it has fallen into disfayor-
the king is dead-and as yet there Is no
cry of his successor
A picturesque background supports the
seal, in that far region where ii disports
in American British Russian waters, ana
is an object OF solicitude to three ma
lions. A glance at statistics shows that
In 1896 5000 seals were taken from the
stands OF st. George and St. Pauls. In
1867 il was estimated that $4,000 worth of
seal fur was furnished per annum. As
early as 1856 Russia sent out fur sealers,
who employed the miserable native Alas
kans to do the killing, keeping those peo-
pie in the most absolute poverty and ig
norance that could be imagined but un-
der the American regime and the care
of the Alaska Commercial Company they
have become prosperous and civilized.
Those Aieutiau Indians have 5000 seals
reserved every year for food
President Jordan of Leland University
was appointed in the last year of Cleve-
lands administration to examine into the
condition OF the seals, taking into consid-
Grafton their rapid decline and threaten
ed determination. He suggested the novel
plan of branding the mother seals so that
the pelt would be practically valueless
to the constituencies hunters, and the
seals thus marked would escape the gem
oral massacre A number were treated in
this way, but the handling and capture
Of the mother seal Is believed to be a Diet
r.ment TO the perfect success of the plan.
Under President Jordan's supervision $50
seals were branded on the back
In order to obtain the 5000 seal cubs for
a food store for the Indians ii was found
necessary TO handle 10000 Of the pups, and
this suggested the idea of seques-
uatns the bachelor seals where they
would be protected from pelagic fishing
and hunting. President Mckinley nav
ing appointed eX-Secretary Foster and
Charles Hamlin to look after the inter
ests Of the seals, it Is hoped that they
will find is possible to herd $1,000 bache-
lor seals on st. Paurs Island, where by
system and force Of numbers in handling
them they can be counted and protected
as easily herd Of sheep. Water ponds
Will be protected by a fence TO keep out
aquatic destroyers and birds Of prey. 1t
is believed that they can be safely held In
that manner for season.
The seal cub has q small chance OF life
when its mother is taken from t. Seals
have the natural sagacty to know heir
own offspring among others Of exactly the
same type, and they have not the charity
Of some domestic animals, for instead Of
welcoming the little stranger who is left
an orphan the seal mother bites and cuffs
IL, nor will she be foster-mother TO the
club Of her best seal friend So the young
seal dies OF hunger. However, tenacious
OF life the older animals are-they being
hard to Kill and possessing more animal
life than any other mammal-the cuD dies
a natural death In short order.
The club about which so much Is said In
reports on the cruelty Of clubbing the seal
10 death Is a product of New London.
Conn, whore Il is manufactured for that
SPECIAL purpose from a hard wood sea-
.f.1.. 4 Il nd D.
A bill of determination was prepared
two years ago by which the secretary Of
the treasury was warranted to take and
kill each and every seal, male and fe-
male, that could be found on the Pribylov
Islands, but the bin never passed. II was
In the interest OF humanity but the spec
ulatOrs would have fought II tooth ana
nail. II Is certain that the United States
could afford TO do that humane act now
though N did pay the original price OF
T2D1C00 for the privilege. But II would
be an act savOring Of sentiment rather
than common sense.
Peagic sealing-klllinR the seals In open
sea with fire arms or with spear-is con-
sidcred wholesale slaughter. as IN this In
discriminate killing many thousands OF
the animals are needlessly sacrificed be-
fore the proper age OF three years. Bache-
lOr seals are legally killed at this age, be-
ing entlCed from their haunts and club
Wf'fA 10 Nf.iAN NNNhiNiNA W NV H. INV
over. the killing is done with dispatch. IL
iH as merltorious as any other method Of
dcath-deaing among animals. II rs the
human cry Of the dying seal that has az
last reached as In the decadence Of seal
skin and stirred our humane instincts TO
a tardy justice. one woman-lhe we'll
known writer Mrs. Amelia Barr-hcard. or
fancied she heard, the cry Of the seal IN
her cloak and voiced IL again IN a poem:
The opera was Faust" ] cannot tcil
How such y vision ever came TO me;
Amid the lght and crowd. the muslc's
SWELL
The THRU Of Margharlia's melody
But as touched the cloak Of soft brown
fur
Lined through with pearly satin. clasp
ed with gold.
l missed the scent Of flowers. the song,
the stir
And shivered with breath OF Polar
cold.
And was aware Of islands FAR remote.
Round which the gray North sea keeps
ceaselesH roar
In twilight caves ] saw the mild seals
float,
GAZING upon .he d'..D'a uairampied floor.
Was Il the zetland fishers that heard