The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-12
SEAL CONTROVERSY.
Our Relations With England Again
Becoming Strained.
McKinley's Endeavors to Ef-
feet Settlement.
Seizure Of British SeaIers by American Rev.
snue Cutters Cause Of Trouble.

Washington, April 12.-There are In
dications that an earnest effort Is to be
made by this government to place the
Behring sea seal question on a more
satisfactory footing. The appointment
OF ex-Secretary Foster and ex-Assist-
ant Secretary Hamlin by the president
TO assist in the negotiations now in IHog-
ress with Great Britain Is indicative that
this long standing diplomatic issue has
at last assumed grave Importance. or, at
least that an attempt will be made to
end the present unsatisfactory state or
affairs before the beginning of the ap-
preaching open season.
The diplomatic correspondence Of the
past year makes il evident that Sc
we're strain was placed upon the patience
of the officials OF both the United States
and Great Britain, and the warning
given quietly, yet firmly, by the British
premier, that further proceedings by the
American revenue cutters in the line or
last years program could not be toier-
ated, and the intimation from Secretary
Olney that there would be no change, un-
less additional restrictions were i'm
yOsed upon the British sealing vessels.
hold out latent possibilities OF a serious
ENHANCEMENT of the two friendly
powers. unless some arrangement can
he made before the end Of May. For
the reason that ex-Secretary Foster was
familiar with the earlier stages Of the
negotiations leading up to the Paris ar
bitration, while to ex-Assistant Secre-
tary Hamlin is due In large measure
the credit for the conduct OF the nego-
tiations of the last administration OH
this subject, they have been chosen to
assist now in composing this threat
ened difficulty.
The trouble appears to have been prin-
cipally through the refusal Of the Brit
ish authorities to renew, last year, the
regulation requiring British vessels go
ing into the seal waters to place their
firearms under seal, to give effect to
the Paris regulation prohibiting the use
OF such weapons in killing seal. This
regulation was laid down on evidence
that a large proportion of the seals killed
with guns sank and were never recov-
cred. involving wasteful mortality. The
British having refused to seal UP their
arms. the United States government
adopted the plan Of making a most
thorough search of every sealing Ves-
sci in Behring sea. There was justi-
fcation for a search in the regulations.
but again the British government pro-
tested, claiming that British vessels
were thereby subjected TO unnecessary
and most veXatious detention; that their
catches were overhauled and thrown
into confusion, and that the only result
was the discovery OF one skin in which
the American boarding officer thought
ne saw a shot wound, and OF log book
q few days in arrears in entries. Yet
for this. 26 out of 29 British vessels in
the seal waters were searched SO times,
one vessel being boarded six times in
"a days.
Secretary Olney. on the other hand,
Justified the course Of the revenue Off
GERS by pointing out that all Of the thre
seized vessels were convicted in Brit
ish courts. He also gave some start
ling figures TO show the need of the ad-
ditional restrictive regulations. which
he invited the British government to
accept. From actual count. he showed
that in 1895 no less than 2S,000 dead
zeal pups were found on the seal islands,
which had perished from starvation be-
cause their mothers had been killed
at sea by sealing vessels. Also. Il was
lildJ III the saint SS1Spn tIc NCS-
sells had taken 4i,169 skins, as against
81 ,5S5 in the previous year and Secretary
Olney asserted that il the killing was
to go at this rate the total destruction
of the seal herd would be accomplished
in the course of about two more sea-
sons. To make the showing worse from
our point of view 1T was stated that the
lawful catch on the seal islands had
largely fallen off. Efforts were made
to devise some way OF ensuring the
seal against the use of firearms by
poachers, but they came to nothing, and
the upshot was that both sides stood
firm, the British warning against the
indiscriminate search of British vessels
and Secretary Olney standing on our
right to make it, Meanwhile, an ex-
pert commission. sent out by both gov
ernments. made an exhaustive report
tending to support Secretary Olney's
assertion regarding the probable eSter-
mination OF the seals under present con-
ditions. and it must be upon this basis
that the negotiations will now proceed.