The San Francisco call., 1897-03-22
SOME BLOOD IN
McK|NLEY'S EYE
DR.. Jordan Thinks Pelagic
Sealing Will Soon
Be Stopped.
lust Returned From Washing
ton After Explaining
the Situation.
Young Female Seals Will Be Branded
So That Their Skins Will Be
Unmarketable.

81 talked over the sealing question with
most of the influential men of the present
administration. I also had quite :slk
with President Mckinley upon the neces-
sity of putting a stop to pelagic sealing
and before / finished an explanation of
the sad condition OF affairs in Bering Sea
thought l saw blood in Mckinley's
eye."
So spoke DR.. David Starr Jordan yester-
day. He had just returned to this City
from second official visit to Washington
on business connected with last summers
Bering Sea Commission, OF which he was
the head, during its thorough investiga-
ton of the causes of the alarming decrease
in valuable fur bearing animals.
In connection with the subject he said:
Steps are being taken by the new admins
tration looking toward final settlement OF
the fur-seal question on the basis of the inves-
tigation OF the. past summer. Great Britain
sent to the fur seal islends commission OF
her own, which in connection with the Amer
ican commission has thoroughly Investigated
the condiuon of the seal herd. This commits
sion agreed in all matters OF fact with the find
ings OF the American commission. Its report,
however, has not yet been published.
The only possible settlement of the fur-seal
question lies in the total prohibition of pelagic
sealing. Great Britain will therefore doubt
less be asked to unite with the United States
in some equitable arrangement whereby kill
ing of females at sea can be done away with.
1t is believed that Great Britain will not re-
fuse to unite with us in taking steps to pre-
serve the fur seals. However, in case she
should refuse te make any fair arrangement
the United States will be prepared to take the
matter in her own hands and protect her own
in terests by aggressive measures. Steps will
Immediately be taken to brand the female
seals in such way as to destroy the value of
their skins. and also to protect the males by
herding them in the salt lagoon on st. Paul
Island during the sealing season. Practical
experiments made last summer have demon
strated the feasibility of these two measures
and their effect will be to put end TO the
business of pelagic sealing This business has
already, in fact put end to itself, for the
reduced catch OF last summer failed to pay
expenses, and the catch of 1897, il sealing be
permitted, will be made al greater loss.
1t is possible also for the United States, by
cooperation with those interested in the
maintenance of the seal herd and the indus
tries arising from it, to bring about the fnan-
cial collapse of the business of handling Pc
lagic sealskins. If this becomes necessary it
Will be pursued
1t is the intention of the present admins
tTation 10 bring to speedy end the present
diminishing condition of the herd, which is a
disgrace alike to Great Britain and America.
Pelagic sealing must go and the fur-seal
herd will be preserved. The silly proposition
to destroy the fur-seal herd ourselves, before
making any ser ious attempt to save it, has
been efectualy disposed OF, and will not
again be heard of.
DIR. Jordan remarked that Nevada had
disgraced herself-has made a final de-
spairing but unsuccessful effort to recu-
perate from financial ruin, and that now
he would like to see her annexed to Califor-
MIA or to Utah, but that he supposes Cali
fornia does not want her.
DR.. Jordan, accompanied by George A.
Cook, secretary of the sealing commission
and secretary also of Stanford University,
left here last evening for Palo Alto, &C.
companied by Mrs. Jordan, who came up
to meet her husband.