The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-29
!. NO PELAGIC SEALING
If THE PLANS OF THE PRESENT con-
FERENCE ARE CARRIED OUT.
Russia and the United States Ready to
step Killing Seals ON the High
Seas.-Japan's Assent Awaited.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.--In reliable quar-
ters it is stated that the conference be-
tween Russia. Japan and the United States
now proceeding here in reference to seal
ing in the Boring sea and the North Pa
cifc has advanced to an important stage,
and that proposition has been reduced to
writing which If accepted. will bring about
complete change in the sealing question.
The proposition is said to be acceptable to
the United States 1t is understood to be
acceptable similarly to the Russian dele
gates now here, but in view of the restric-
tions placed on them by their credentials it
has been thought desirable to cable to ST.
Petersburg for final instructions The
Japanese delegates are understood to have
felt at first that the proposition would not
be in their interest but on fuller conference
Mr.. Fujita determined to cable the sub
stance of the proposition to his government,
accompanying it with a recommendation of
it's acceptance. Little doubt is entertained
that Russia will accept the proposition. and
in view of Mr.. Fujita's recommendation it
is believed that Japan also will Join in it,
The greatest secrecy is preserved in all
official quarters as to the nature of the
proposition, and it is not officially admitted
that any proposition has been made. From
GQudlly ISlldDl6 SOuICSS ~ - uHQeTSlOOu IndL
the proposition has a far-reaching scope
and provides for the material limitation or
entire suspension of pelagic sealing or seal
ing on the high seas. Such a decisive step,
if agreed to by Russia, Japan and the
United States would, it is understood, not
involve any concerted move to menace the
claims of Great Britain and Canada to the
right of pelagic sealing on the high seas,
but would rather be proposition expressive
of the conclusions of the three most inter-
ested powers that in the interests of human
ity and the preservation of the seal herds
of their respective governments all nations
including Great Britain and her colony,
Canada, should unite with Russia and the
United States and Japan in such effective
prevention of pelagic sealing on the high
seas as will put an end to it and thereby
secure the preservation of the seals.
The deliberations of the conferees leading
up to the proposition were productive Of
numerous interesting and important fea-
lures. All of the members of the conference
were placed under a pledge of secrecy, and
they have maintained this with the greatest
care. 1t became evident at the outset that
the United States and Russia were pre-
pared to go further than Japan. At all
times there was the most cordial sentiment
among the conferees and a general desire
to reach common ground of understand
ing. In the case of Russia it developed that
to some extent her action was conditioned
by a modus vivendi made between Great
Britain and Russia about the time the Paris
court of arbitration was sitting and cover
ing the course of those two countries con-
corning the fur seals on Russian islands and
surrounding waters. But little had been
known of this modus until the conference
met. Under it a zone of neutral water is
established, thirty miles wide, surrounding
the Russian islands, within which Great
Britain agreed to suspend pelagic sealing.
While this was of material advantage to
Russia, yet it was felt that any proposition
for the entire suspension of pelagic sealing,
even beyond thirty miles, would have to be
reconciled with the nodus vivendi. 1t was
felt that this could be done, as the modus
was not a continuing agreement, but was
from year to year, depending for it's exist
ence on it's annual readoption by the
British Parliament. The last act Of Parlia-
ment carried the modus up to Dec. 81 next.
1t was clearly the desire of the Russian
delegates to secure the largest possible pro-
lection for her fur seals, and this estab-
lished throughout the deliberations a close
cooperation between the United States and
Russia.
AS to Japan, it was not so clear that her
interests were for further restrictions on
pelagic sealing. On the contrary one of the
Japanese delegates made it clear that Japan
had more interest in catching seals than in
preserving them. Moreover, it appeared that
Japan no longer had any fur seals, although
her possessions of sea offers, an animal like
the seals. was considerable When Japan s
attitude was thus defined the general feel
ing within the conference was that the
United States and Russia were united in
the view of protecting the seals by energetic
measures while Great Britain and Japan
occupied substantially the opposite position.
Owing to Japans view of the subject the
opinion of the seal experts was laid before
the Japanese delegates. This opinion was
to the effect that while Japan's seal possess
sions were little or nothing at the present
time, yet that by adequate protection of the
seals her decimated rookeries would be re-
stored and large seal property built up.
In this view of the experts Japan's present
interest in killing the seals would be more
than offset Ia time by. the interests she
would acquire by a full protection of the
seals. This expert view appears to have
been convincing on the Japanese delegates,
for as already stated, Mr.. Fujita not only
cabled the final proposition to Japan, bur
accompanied it with his favorable recon-
mendation.