Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-11-20
CONFERENCE FINISHED.

The Meeting of Seal Experts from tho
United States, Canada and England
hrses-An Agreement Reached on Some
Points-Others to bo Settled Later ON.
Washington, Nov. 1.-THE Bering
sea meeting, in which representatives
Of England, Canada and the United
States participated, came to a close last
night, the seal experts making a unan-
inous report rs to the condition of the
seal herds and the diplomatic repre-
sentstives of the governments reach
ing an understanding by which they
hope at n later day to effect final adj
justment not only of the Bering sea
question, but of other pending border
controversies. For the present, how
ever, no final action was taken as to
the suspension of pelagic sealing, The
Canadians urged that the other ques-
tions be embraced in any plan of set
tlement and suggested an interna-
tional commission to accomplish this
end. This proposition was fully dis
cussed and an agreement reached that
the Canadian officials would put their
views in writing after returning to OF
tawa and submit them to the authori-
ties here. All parties concerned say
the outlook is favorable to n satisfac-
tory adjustment.
The unanimous agreement OF the
experts brings the governments to-
gether for the first time on all the
facts relating to seals. This agree
| ment was reached after much COM
parison of notes and the results were
| announced by Mr.. Foster as follows
4 Il a.. a. A1,a f,,,. fnr
ence have agreed unanimously on GER
tain propositions touching the fur seal
herds of Bering sea. The report con-
tains 16 propositions, which are briefly
epitomized as follows:
That the Pribylov herd declined in
numb bers from 1884 to 1897; that the
number was formerly three to five
times that which now exists; that the
death rate amsng pups is great, not
more than one-half to one-third sur
viving to the age of years; that the
number of breeding females in 1896
and 1897 was between 100, 900 and $780,,
900; that the decrease from 1896 to 1897
was notable, though its extent could
not be definitely determined; that land
killing of males does no harm to the
herd; that pelagie sealers respect the
limitations of the law; that pelagic
sealing involves indiscriminate killings
that the catch at sea contains a
marked excess of females; that
the killing of males on land is
the cause of this; that among the
females killed are not only those
both nursing and pregnant, but also
many which are immature or whicf
have already lost their pups; that the
fur seal being polygamous, largt
number of males may be killed with
impunity; that females cannot b'
killed in similar numbers without
checking the increase of the herd o.
bringing about an actual decline; tina
small number of females might b'
taken without producing actual de
crease; that excessive peIagic sealing
has led to a reduction in the herd; tina
pelagic sealing has of late fallen off IL
greater ratio than the herd has, ant
producing tendency toward equilib
rum in numbers; that in estimating
the future conditions of the herd mus
be taken into consideration reduction
in the number of surviving pups cause,
by the pelagic catches OF 1S94-5; tina
the herd is not in danger of actual e2
termination so long as its haunts o.
land are protected and the protecte
zone is aintained; that both land an
sea killing now yield an inconsiderabl
profit either to the lessees or to tn
pelagic sealers themselves.