The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-11-19
FOUNDATION NOW LAID
Fer a settlement OF ALI on- Disputes with
tie Dominion.


Washington. Nov 1.-THE Behring
sea meeting. in which representatives OF
Great Britain, Canada and the United
States have participated. came 10 u
close last night. The seal experts make
unanimous report concerning the con-
dition Of the seal herds and the diplo-
matte representatives of the respective
governments are reaching ar under
standing by which they hope at later
day to effect final adjustment not only
of the Behring sea question but of other
pending border controversies. For the
present, however, no final action was
taken as TO the suspension of pelagic
sealing. The Canadians urged that 9TH
er questions be embraced in any plan OF
settlement and suggested an interna-
tional commission to accomplish this
end. This proposition was fully dis
cussed, and an agreement reached that
the Canadian officials would put their
views in writing after returning to OF
tawa and submit them to the authori-
ties here.
The unanimous agreement Of the ex-
perts brings the governments together
for the first time on all the facts relat-
ing to the seals. This agreement was
reached after painstaking comparison
of notes, and the results were an
nounced in an official statement by Col
onel Foster, as follows 1.-The delegates
to the fur seal conference have agreed
unanimously on certain propositions
touching the fur seal herds of Behring
sea. The report contains sixteen propo-
sitions which are briefly epitomized as
follows: That the Pribylof herd has
declined in numbers from 1884 to 1887;
that the number was formerly three or
five times that which now exists; that
the death rate among pups Is great, not
more than one-half to one-third surviv-
ing to the age of three years; that the
number of breeding females in 1896 and
1897 was between 100000 and 100000;
that the decrease from 1896 and 1897 was
notable, though it's extent could not be
definitely determined; that land killing
of males as now practiced does no harm
to the herds; that the pelaglc sealers
respect the limitations of TIE law; that
pelagic sealing involves indiscrlminate
killing; that the catch at sea contains
a marked excess of females; that the
killing of males on land is the cause
Of this.
Further theexperts agree that among
the females killed are not only those
both nursing and pregnant, but also
many who are immature or who have
already lost their pups; that the fur seal
being polygamous a large num-
Der Of males may be killed with i'm
punity; that females cannot be killed
in similar numbers without checking the
increase Of the herd or bringing about
an actual decline; that a small num-
Der of females-less than the annual
increment of breeders-might be taken
without producing actual decrease; that
excessive pelagic sealing has led to a re-
duction in the herd; that pelaglc sealing
has of late fallen off in greater ratio
than the herd has, this producing q
tendency toward equilibrium in num-
bers; in estimating the future condi-
tions of the herd must be taken into
considera ton reductions in the number
Of surviving pups caused by the pelagic
catches of 1894 and 1895.
Finally it is agreed that the herd Is
not in danger of actual determination
| so long as it's haunts on land are pro-
| tected and the protected zone Is main
| tanned; that both land and sea killing
now yield an inconsiderable pro-
| fit either to the lessees or
! to the pelagic sealers them
| selves" Signing this agreement are
| the four experts-two for the United
| States, Hamlin and Jordan, and two for
| Canada, Thompson and Macoun.
| Sir Wilfrid and Sir Louis left at 10
o'clock this morning for Ottawa.
DEATH OF JOHN w. LANGSTON.