The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-17
No Action Taken because Canadians
Wanted other Matters Resides the
Bering Sea Dispute Settled.
REPORT OF THE FOUR EXPERTS
ALL OF ONE MIND REGARDING THE
EVIL OF PELAGIC SEALING.
Statement from General FOster-Cana-
dians in Favor of Appointing an
international Commission.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16-The Bering sea
meeting, in which representatives of Great
Britain, Canada and the United States have
participated, came to G. close tonight, the
seal experts making unanimous report
concerning the condition of the seal herds
and the diplomatic representatives of the
respective governments having an under
standing by which they hope at later day
to effect final adjustment not only of the
Bering sea question. but of other pending
border controversies. For the present, how
ever, no final action was taken as to the
suspension of pelagic sealing. The Cana
dians urged that other questions be EN-
braced in any plan of settlement, and sus-
gested an international commission to ac-
complish this end. This proposition was
fully discussed and an agreement reached
that the Canadian officials would put their
views in writing after returning to Ottawa
and submit them to the authorities here.
All parties concerned say that the outlook
is favorable to a satisfactory adjustment.
The unanimous agreement of the experts
brings the governments together for the
first time on all the facts relating to the
seals. This agreement was reached after
painstaking comparison of notes and the
results were announced in an official state
ment by General Foster as follows:
1.-The delegates to the fur seal conference
have agreed unanimously on certain propO-
sitions touching the fur seal herds in ber-
ing sea. The report contains sixteen propo-
sitions, which are briefly epitomized as fol-
lows: That the Prlbylof herd has declined
in numbers from 1884 to 1897; that the num-
ber was formerly three to five times that
which now exists; that the death rate
among pups is great, not more than one-half
TO oue-third surviving to the age of three
years; that the number of breeding females
in 1896 and 1897 was between 10000 to l30,-
O00; that the decrease from 1896 10 1881 was
notable, though its extent could not be deti-
nitely determined; that land killing of
males as now practiced does no harm to the
herd; that the pelagic sealers respect the
involves lndiscriminate killing; that the
catch at sea contains a marked excess of
females; that the killing of males on land
is the cause of this: that among the fe-
males killed are not only those both nurs-
ing and pregnant, but also many which are
immature or which have already lost their
pups; that the fur seal being polygamous,
a large number of males may be killed with
impunity; that females cannot be killed in
similar numbers without checking the in
crease of the herd or bringing about an ac-
tGal decline; that small number of fe-
males less than the annual increment of
breeders. might be taken without producing
actual decrease; that excessive pelagtc
sealing has led to reduction in the herd;
that pelagic sealing has of late fallen off in
greater ratio than the herd has. thas pro-
ducing a tendency toward equilibrium in
numbers; that in estimating the future con-
ditions Of the herd must be taken into con-
sideration reductions in the number of the
surviving pups caused by the pelagic
catches OF 1S94-95; that the herd is not in
danger of actual determination so long as
its haunts on land protected and the
protected zone is maintained; that both
land and sea killing now yield an inconsid-
erable profit, either to the lessees or to the
pelagic sealers themselves.
The delegates signing the agreement are
Charles Sumner Hamlin David Starr Jor-
dan. Darcy wentworth Thompson and
James Melville Macoun.
Following the agreement of the experts
the diplomatic officials assembled at Gen.
Fosters house to discuss the larger Ques-