The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02
SEALING QUESTION
CANADIAN SIDE PRESENTED BY A
REPRESENTATIVE VICTORIAN.
He Is vigorously Opposed to Extend
ing the C.Osc Yankee
sid discussed by II. Licbcs.

LONDON, May I-Prohting by the tenn
porary presence in England of a leading
member of one of the oldest and largest
Victorian sealing houses. a representative
Of the Associated Press called on that
gentleman to ascertain the views held by
the Canadian or pelagic sealers on the
latest phase of the scaling question. He
said:
TO talk of extending the close season
until the end of August means absolutely
a deathblow to Canadian ~sealers. Under
the existing arrangements Victorian
schooners starting for the grounds in time
for Aug. 1 can only reckon on six weeks,
and only then under the most favorable
conditions. If the time be extended, as
suggested, we could at the very most only
hope for one weeks sealing. and as the
weather is usually very bad the chances
are that sealers would return without a
single skin. knowing this the result would
be that no skins would go out, and there
fore the Canadian industry would be killed.
So far as an extension of the closed zone
to 200 miles is concerned, L am of the opin-
ion that that would equally prove a death
blow to Canadian sealing. AS it is. the
fishing banks are we'll within the sixty
mile limit. What can be hoped for if for
an extra 10 miles we are prohibited from
sealing?
There are at present about sixty sealing
vessels which set out every season from
Victoria alone. 1t is a mistake to think
that pelagic sealing is done entirely by
Canadians. Every year a number of pelagic
schooners go out from American ports and
the United States Indians from Mean bay,
Washington, also send out vessels to Ber-
ing sea. No people in the world have SUI
fered greater hardsfiips than the Canadian
Sealers. Many have been reduced to abso-
Lutte poverty by the seizure of their ships,
outfit and skins in 1885, 1886 and 1887 by the
United States government. Up to the pres
emit time not a penny OF compensation has
been paid. But l am bound to say that
the United States government is not alto~
gether to blame for this. Canadian sealers
feel that they have been shametully neg
lected by the British government.
despite the representations OF the Do
minion government to the imperial author~
tiles the position to-day is worse than ever.
year scientific commissions to study the
Seals-everything about them is already
on the part of the British government 10
protect their own flag. Canadian sealers are
not pirates. Our business is perfectly legltl-
mate. Every vessel leaving for the Bering
sea is properly cleared by the British au-
thorities and the customs house and 1t Is
shameful that a large and important IN
dustry should be Killed by the oVerDear-
ing conduct of American monopollStS and
the weakness of the British government.
But, in spite of all this, the Victorian
sealers are determined to have their rights.
We intend to fit our vessels for sealing as
long as there IS a seal left. OF course, II
the close season be extended to the END or
August the weather will render sealing inn
possible, but it is ridiculous to suppose that
any British government will agree to such
an arrangement. AT least 1000 British sub
jects on Vancouver island alone derive their
living from legitimate sealing on the high
seas. The Canadians loyalty respect the
provisions of the Paris award, unjust as
they think them. But vessels are seized
by the United States under all sorts Of pre-
texts. The presence of a skin with shot
holes on board a sealer proves nothing, as
many 81 seal may be shot in the spring in
the Pacific (where firearms are permitted),
and, being slightly wounded only, may
travel to Boring sea and be subsequently,
speared. Again, in the thick fogs Of that
region it is quite possible for a vessel to
get within the sixty-mile limit without the
least %intentio Of infringing treaty rights.
AS a fact, eV y Canadian Sealer, -oA put
ting to sea, does so with the intention of
making the biggest catch possible outside
the ~siXty-mile limit, and with stringent or
ders not to infringe the Paris award"
On the United States side of the question
Mr.. H. Liebes, one of the members of the
North American Commercial Company,
made the following statement:
There is no idea of making things hot
or cold for anybody; neither is there a wish
to hurt Canada nor to worry England.
Much less is there any intention on the part
of the Alaska Company to avoid or ignore
tribunal, which we are fully aware are
binding for a period of five years. What,
however, we do contend, and what we wish
the public to clearly understand, is the
fact that, by its award, the Paris tribunal
intended to give all the protection il poSsi-
bly, could to the seal herd, consistent, OF
course, with fairness to all parties con-
cerned. and the regulations were made to
be binding for the period mentioned, a
clause being inserted in the award specif-
cally providing that the terms of the same
were subject to revision on the expiration
of five years from the date of the same
coming into force. Now, it being clear that
the members of the commission sent out
last year are all more or less in accord
that the protective measures as made by
the Paris tribunal are ineffective, or, let
us say, insufficient to carry out the pur-
poses, the question arises as to whether the
injury to the seal herd should be allowed
to continue for the uneXpired term set
forth in the award or whether it would not
be wiser as well as more humane for am
attempt to be made by all parties interested
to come to a mutual agreement without de-
lay on the basis Of the alterations to the
existing regulations as may be recon-
mended by the commissioners. This is the
real and only question to be satisfactorily
settled, and it may be well to point out
that the present low value of the SeaIskin
not only precludes any hope of profit to
Canadian sealerS, but, under existing con
ditions, the result must be a total failure
of their ability to continue the industry.
so that 1t would seem that the present
would be a most convenient and appropriate
time to take the matter in hand and carry
out the necessary means of giving effect to
the views of the commissioners.
In conclusion, / would ask, in common
members of the North American Commer-
cial Company, whether, IL under the cir
cumstances, the attacks made on their
honor. what suggested reputation by them
OF their solemn engagements is justified bY
the facts. There are only four or five firms
in Victoria who have any interest in the
sealing business. They have had nothing
put losses for some years past and only
the hope of some day being compensated
by the English and American governments