New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-23
NO SEALS MAY BE KILLED.
AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE Ne
GoTIATIoNs.
IN ORDER TO STOP PELAGrc SEALING THE
UNITED STATES WILL CONSENT TO THE con-
DITIoN IMPOSED BY CANADA AND
GREAT BRITAIN. AND WILL sUs-
PEND SEALING ON THE ISL
ANDS FOR A YEAR.

PEND SEAlslNt ON lhc 1911
ANDs FOR YEAR
Washington, Nov. 22.-One of the most I'M
portant features Of the Behring Sea nego'ia-
tions not heretofore disclosed Is that, IN case
Great Britain and Canada consent TO suspe".
sion Of pelagc sealing for one year. the ohi'eu
States at the same time will agree to sus-
pension Of all killing Of seals for one year on
the Pribylof Islands. constituting the Ameri-
can seal possessions In Behring Sea AS the
Islands are a part OF the United States terri
tory, no question has ever arisen heretofore do
TO the right OF the United States to DO as IL
chose as to the seals on land and within three
miles Of the shore. the three miles being part
of the Islands according to international law
During the recent negotiations the Canadians
took the ground that II any suspension was 10
occur It would be inequitable to ask theh u
suspend sealing in the outer waters WINE a'
the same time the United States perss'eo III
sealing I'm the inner waters and on lano' Inc
contention Of the United States was primarily
for the suspension Of pelagic sealing ou' u'
der the exigency Of the case It was felt that II
a suspension OF peagic sealing coulo De Sc
cured il would be reasonable to concede
similar suspension within our own territory II
was in this form that the final propositions took
shape.
The American proposition includes the pripy-
loft Islands in the proposed one-year suspension,
80 that II Canada agrees to the suspension IL
will apnly ,o those islands as we'll as to the
high seas The proposition follows the rec9lI-
mendation Of the Paris Court OF Arpltratlon,
which suggested temporary suspehsioh vi
sealing on land and sea. .,
This brings up the question OF the lease OF tne
North American Commercial company, gIsLnS
II the exclusive right to take seals on the Pripy-
l,M Iola nd ha
a term Of twenty years. Under IL the com
pany has taken about sixteen thousand sedIS
annually on the islands. The lease stipulated
that not more than sixty thousand snOulu DC
taken in 1891 and also provided that no more
seals should be killed annually than the num-
her authorized by the Secretary or the lreas
ury As the catch has been far snort OF 1he
expected sixty thousand, n question mas arisen
as to the obligation OF the company 10 haVe ISS
rental reduced pro rata Attorhey s,,o a
Miller gave an opinion In favor Of the reduc-
ton Secretary Olney. when Attorney-I -Ieherai
gave an opinion against II. BY mutual cohsent
a test case was made up and Is now pehuinS III
the United States Supreme Court lie ie%s ,
provides for n rental OF S6O.op year, airy
81 f2D for each sealskn taken ana shlpP.u
from the islands and certain tax payments
and accommodations for the natives
In the event OF agreement between tM.e M
United States Great Britain and Cahada tne t
rights OF the company 10 take sealS nectsHa,,. ~
would terminate for a year IL Is said that tie
r,cSt ~ eminent domain gives the Government
authority for yacating the lease for this perlod
without reference 10 the wishes OF the corn,
many Ru. aside from this IT is understoou
mat the company would not stand on any ten tecn-
ncal rights, but would consusr s, .me odvan
s,on granted by Canada OF such great auVail-
tage in the preservation OF the seals as 10 war
rant a suspension on the Pribylon lsanos udr-
| ing the stipulated one year.