The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-11
70 PROTECT THE SEALS.
Another Commission About to Visit
the Pribiloff Islands.
BRITISH COMMISSIONS REPORT.
1t Docs Not Admit That the Seal Herds
Are In Danger of Annihilation, but
Declares That the situation Demands
Prudent Management.

Are In Danger of Annihilation, but
Declares That the situation Demands
Prudent Management.
" Washington, May 1l.-Mr. c. s. Ham
lin, former assistant secretary OF the
treasury, and now employed by the
government as assistant counsel in the
pending negotiations with Great Brit
ain relative, to the seal fisheries, has
returned from California, where he
went to confer with President Jordan,
Of the Leland Stanford university.
President Jordan spent part of last
season on the seal islands, as COM
missioner in charge of the seal inves-
legations, and Mr.. Hamlin's mission
was to secure. IL possible, the accept
ance by President Jordan, of similar
commission for the coming season.
Mr.. Jordan has agreed to undertake
the work, and in company with Pro-
fessors Stejneger and Lucas, of the
United States national museum, the
other members of the commission, Mr..
Joseph Murray of Colorado and Mr..
Morton of Indiana, special agents of
the treasury department, will sail for
the Prbiloff Islands about June l. The
instructions to the commissioners are
now in preparation, and will be COM
pleted in a few days. 1t is said that
they will not differ In any important
particular from those furnished the
commission one year ago. The prac-
tioe Of branding the female pups, be-
gun last year. will be continued.
The report Of the British commission,
vR,Y.f taI &c S,,ty i1o
the Islands in conjunction with the
United States commission, has reached
the department of state, and although
our officials decline to discuss 1t, there
is no doubt they were somewhat sur
prised at the conclusions reached. 1t
had been confidently assured that the
commission could not avoid the frank
statement that under existing condi-
lions the seal herds were in imminent
danger of annihilation, but it does not
do SO. The report however, Is not en-
tirely disappointing, as Mr.. Thompson
admits that the situation demands pru-
dent management to prevent a deple-
ti0n of the herds.
Mr.. Thompson, in concluding his re-
port to the British authorities says:
"The alarming statements to which
utterance has been given in recent
years, the accounts of the herds i'm
mense decrease and the prophecies Of
its approaching extinction are over
drawn and untenabe. But 1t is my
duty to state that there is still abun-
dant need for care and for prudent
measures of conservation in the in
terests of all. A birthrate which we
estimate at 143000 per annum is not
great in comparison with the drain
upon the stock. From one cause or
another a loss of over 10000 Is ex-
perenced among the pups ere they
emigrate to sea, and though the dam
gers they there encounter are un-
known to us we may take it for certain
that the risks they run are great and
the loss they endure considerable.
"When to the measured loss in in
Fancy and to the unmeasured loss in
youth and age we add the toll taken
An the islands and the toll taken in
She Sea II is not difficult to believe
that the margin of safety is a narrow
/. one, IL 1t be not already in some meas
uIe overstepped. We hope for a per-
pctuation of the present numbers; we
cannot count upon an increase. And 1t
fs my earnest hope that q recognition
mutual interests and a regard for
: % common advantage may suggest
measures of prudence which shall keep
the pursuit and slaughter of the animal
within due and definite bounds"