The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-17

Washington, Nov 16-The Canadians
determined today to meet the PROPOSE
ton for the immediate suspension of
pelagic sealing with a counter Dropo
sition for the establishment of a com
mittee to arrange a general settlement,
not only of the Boring sea question, but
of the reciprocity. border immigration,
North Atlantic fisheries and all pending
questions betw cen the United States
and Canada. The contention of the
American representatives is that the
Bering sea is the first question to be
disposed of, and the question of pelagic
sealing cannot be, put off until action
is matured on reciprocity, immigration
and the other questions.
The Boring sea meeting began at II
o'clock today under the usual circum-
stances of secrecy. The commercial or
gans of the country are becoming in
terested in the question of reciprocity
as evidenced by a communication from
the Boston Merchants association
which has reached the department Of
state and been placed in the hands of
Mr. Kasson, specially charged with
reciprocity negotiations. 1t made a
strong plea for Canadian reciprocity.
SIXTEEN PROPOSITIONS.
The Bering Sea meeting, in which
representatives of Great Britain, Cam
ada and the United States have par
ticipated, came 10 d close tonight, the
seal experts making a unanimous re-
port concerning the condition of the
seal herds, and the diplomatic repre-
sentatives of the respective govern
ments reaching an understanding by
which they hope at a later day to effect
a fiaal adjustment, not only Of the
Boring sea question, but of other pend
ing border controversies.
The report contains 16 propositions,
which are briefly epitomized as follows:
THAT the Pribyloff herd has declined
in numbers from 1884 to 1897; that the
number was formerly three to five
times that which, now exist; that the
death rate among pups is great, not
more than one-half to one-third surviv-
ing to the age of three years; that the
number of breeding females in 1896 and
1897 was between 10000 to 10000; that
the decrease from 1896 to 1897 was not
able, though its extent could not be
definitely determined; that land killing
of males, as now practiced does no
harm to the herds; that the pelagic
sealers respect the limitations of the
law: that the pelagic sealing Involves
indscriminate killing: that the catch
at sea contains a marked excess of fe-
males; that the killing of males on land
is the cause of this; that among the fe-
males killed are not only those both
nursing and pregnant, but also many
who are immature, or who have already
lost their pups; that the fur seal, being
polygamouS, large number OF males
may be killed with impunity; that fe-
males cannot be killed in similar num-
bers without checking the increase OF
the herd or bringing about an actual
decline: that as number OF females,
less than the annual increase remnant
of breeders, might be taken without
producing actual decrease, that eXces-
sive pelagic sealing has led to reduc-
ton in the herds; that pelaglc sealing
has of late fallen off in greater ratio
than the herd has, thus producing q
tendency toward equilibrium in num-
beers; that in estimating the future con-
ditions of the herd must be taken into
consideration reductions in the number
of surviving pups caused by the pelagic
catches of 1S94-1S95; that the herd is
not in danger of actual determination,
so long as it's haunts on land are pro-
tected, and the protected zone is main
tanned: that both land and sea- killing
now yield inconsiderable profit, either
to the lessees or to the pelagic sealers
themselves"
The delegates signing the agreement
are as follows: Charles Sumner Hamlin,
David Starr Jordan, Darcy Wentworth
Thompson, and James Melville Macoun.