The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-12

WASHINGTON. April r-The recent
appointment OF ex-Secresary Foster and
ex-Aszistant Secretary Hamlin BY the
president 10 assist In the negotiations now
In progress with Great Britain respecting
the Boring sea seal fisheries Is indicative
that this long-standing diplomatic issue
has at last assumed grave Importance
and that an earnest effort Is 10 be made
to end the present unsatisfactory state Of
Affairs or TO place the subject on such
footing before the beginning Of the ap-
preaching open season as viii prevent II
from passing into a more serious phasa
The diplomatic correspondence OF the
past year makes IL evident that severe
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 of last years
programme would not be tolerated. and
the intimatioa from Secretary Olney that
there would be no change unless add
tionai restrictions were imposed upon the
British sealing vessels. hold out latent pos
sibihties of serious ENHANCEMENT for tho
two friendly powers unless some arrange
ment can be made before the end of May.
For the reason that ex-Secretary Foster
was familiar with the early stages OF the
negotiations leading up TO the Paris ar
bitration. while to ex-Secretary Hamlin
is due to large measure the credit for
the conduct OF the negotiations OF the last
administration on this subject, they have
been chosen 10 assist now in composing
this threatened difficulty.
The trouble appears TO have begun prin-
cipally through the refusal of the British
authorities TO renew last year the regula-
tons requiring British vessels going into
the seal waters to place their firearms I'M
der seal. TO give effect TO the Paris regu-
q ~ ssyTh
ons IN killing seals. This regulation was
laid down on evidence that a large pro-
portion OF the seals killed with guns sank
and were never recovered, involving
wasteful mortality.
The British having refused to seal up
their arms, the United States government
adopsed the plan Of making a most thor
ough search OF every sealing vessel in
BerIng sea. There was Justification for
the search in the regulations. but again
the British government protested. claim
Ing that British vessels were thereby
subjected 10 unnecessary and most vexa-
rious detentions and that their catches
were overhauled and thrown into con-
fusion. and that the only result was the
discovery Of one skin in which the Ameri-
can boarding officer thought he saw a
shot wound and of a log book a few DAYS
In arrears In entries. Yet for this result
twenty-sx out OF twenty nine British
vessels In the seal waters were searched
eighty-two times, one vessel being board
ed six times in twenty-four days.
Secretary Olney. on the other hand.
justified the course OF the revenue Of
ficers by pointing out that all OF the
seized vessels were convicted in British
courts. He also gave some startling
figures TO show the need of additional re-
strictiye regulation which he invited the
British government to accept. From ac-
tual count he showed that in 1895 no less
than $500 dead seal pups were found on
seal islands which had persisted from
starvation, because their mothers had
been killed at sea by sealing vessels.
Also, IL was stated that in the same sea-
son the vessels had taken "A 1863 skins.
as against 3l,5S IN the previous year.
and Secretary olney asserted that IL the
killing was TO go on at this rate the total
destruction OF the seal herd would be ac-
complished in the course OF about two
more seasons.
To make the showing worse from our
point OF view. n was stated the lawful
catch OF the seal islands had largely
fallen off. Efforts were made to devise
a way OF insuring the seal against the
use OF firearms by poachers, but they
came TO nothing. and the upshot was that
both sides stood firm, she British warning
us against further indiscriminate search
OF British vessels. and Secretary Olney
standing on our right to make Ii.
Meanwhile. an expert commission sent
out by both governments made an ex-
haustive report tending to sustain Secre-
tary Olney's assertions regarding the
probable determination OF the seals I'M
der present conditions. and IL must be
upon this basis that negotiations Will now
proceed