The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-30

The schooner Ol2nte or san francisco,
was at Dutch Harbor with twenty-five sea
otter skins.
Prof F. A Lucas of the Smithsonian
Institution. who Is one of the American
commissioners, and Darcy w. Thompson,
OF the English commission. We're interview
ed at Dutch Harbor by Post-Intelligencer
representative.
Commissioner Thompson was reserved in
his statements, politely declining TO say
whether or not there was a decrease in the
mum ri of seals this season.
What was the nature of your investi-
cations this season? ," he was asked.
That Is *retty broad question. l Wis
tied Rotten Reef, in the Okhotsk sea:
Copper islands. the Russian rookeries,
Boring Islands and the Pribiiof rookeries
but the result of my Investigations | cam
not give until the report of our commits
sion is made public"
do you think there is noticeable de-
crease of seals?'' was next asked.
"Oh' / am not prepared TO say one way
or another. You see. according to the
etiquette of our government ii is not al
lowable for me TO give out our results for
publication
Mr.. Thompson is most agreeable man
and willing 10 talk on most other sub
jects. but regarding the seal question he
would not venture an opinion.
ly hedged in by red tape etiquette.
He states that there is no doubt about
there being noticeable decrease in the
seal herd this year.
What would you consider the decrease
to be?' he was asked
THAT is hard to say. / should Judge IL
to be from 10 TO Is per cent at least as
compared with last season. The number
of seals killed on the rookerles by the
nrfh 4 tai ~ ,l.f
son is almost one-third less than last
year. In fact, to make the number this
season II was necessary to have more
drives and at more frequent intervals than
they did last year when they secured over
80 600 skins.
There can be no doubt that If the pres
ent ratio OF decrease continues long
in very few years the fur seal will be
commercially extinct. Even now the seal
ing fleet is rapidly reducing Only a third
Of the number that went into the Bering
sea last year are out this season. / doubt
even with this small number engaged in
the business. II the average catch will be
much greater than in 1896. The increase
certainly will not be equal TO the rates of
the decrease of the fleet. l would not be
surprised TO see the sealers go out of the
business entirely in another two years
There is no animal that could be more
easily preserved than the seal under prop
er restrictions Under the present status
he is harassed at sea and on land by man,
aside from his natural enemies
Prof Lucas returns by the Del Norte to
San Francisco and Mr.. Thompson goes on
the English man-of-war Amphon to Vic
toria, thence to England to make his re-
port.
This season England has been repre-
sentcd on the Boring sea patrol by the
Amphion, Wild Swan and Pheasant the
first TO arrive being the Wild Swan, which
reached Dutch Harbor August 3
The Perry. Bear Corwin and Rush con-
stitute the American patrol this year
Commandment Hooper. Of the American
patrol feet, has his headquarters at Una
laska, and his feet Of revenue cutters have
spent but little time in port so far this
season. The last OF the patrol fleet is ex-
pected to leave the sea about Septem-
Der 70.