Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-17
SEAL EXPERTS AGREE.
Find a Coed Many Propositions
uponWhish They Are in
Entire Accord.
SYNOPSIS OF THEIR CONCLUSIONS.

Herd Not I'm Danger Of determination
While tho Present Zone Around the Isl.
snds Ii Maintained, but Pelaxic Scaling
VIII Kin Itself Because 1t Makes tho
Bssiness OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Take
the Facts and the Outlook Il Good for
the Settlement OF All the Disputed Cues
lions Between the Countries.
Washington. Nov. 1.-THE Behring
sea meeting, in which representatives Of
Great Britain, Canada and the United
states have participated, came to a
close last night. The seal experts make
a unanimous report concerning the con-
diuon Of the seal herds and the diplo-
matte representatives Of the respective
governments are reaching an under
standing by which they hope at q later
DAY to effect final adjustment not only
OK the Behring sea question but of other
pending borler controversies. For the
present. however, no final action was
taken as to the suspension of pelagic
sealing. The Canadians urged that 9TH
er questions be embraced In any plan of
settlement, and suggested an interna-
uonsl 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. -.
Agreement of the Seal Experts.
The unanimous agreement Of the ex.
perts brings the governments together
Tor the first time on all the facts relat-
ing to the seals. This agreement was
reached after painstaking comparison
CT notes, and the results were an
nounced Ia an official statement by COL
onel Foster, as follows: 1.-The delegates
TO the fur seal conference have agreed
unanimously on certain propositions
touching the fur seal herds of Behring
sea. The report contains sixteen propo-
sitions which are briefly epitomized as
follows: That the Pribylsf herd has
declined in numbers from 1854 to 1887;
that the number was formerly three or
five times that which now exists; that
the death rate among pups is great, not
mere 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 100000 and 10000;
that the decrease from 1895 and 1897 was
notable. though its extent could not be
definitely determined; that land killing
OF males as now practieed does no harm
to The herds: that the peiagic sealers
respect the limitations OF the law; that
peIagic sealing involves indiscriminate
killing; that the catch at sea contains
a marked excess of females; that the
killing OF males on land Is the cause
Of this.
Eject OF killing OF Females.
Further theexperts agree that among
the females killed are not only those
both nursing ard pregnant, but also
many who = immature or who have
already lost tilcfr pups; that the fur seal
being poiygamous a large num-
Der Of males may be killed with i'm
punity: that females cannot be killed
In similar numbers without checking the
increase OF the herd or bringing about
an actual decline: that a small mum.
Der OF females-less than the annual
increment OF breeders-might be taken
without producing actual decrease; that
excessive peiagic sealing has led to a re-
duction in the herd; that pelagic sealing
has OF late fallen off in greater ratio
than the herd has. this producing a
tendency toward equilibrium in num-
bers;, in estimating the future condi-
tons of the herd must be taken into
consideration reductions in the number
OF surviving pups caused by the pelagic
catches of 1894 and 1895.
No Danger of determination.
Finally II is agreed that the herd Is
not in danger Of actual determination
so long az its haunts on land are pro-
tected and the protected zone rs main
tained: that both lsrj and sea killing
now yield an considerable pro-
hit either to the lessees or
to the pelagic sealers them
selves" Signing this agreement are
the four experts-two for the United
States. Hafnlin and Jord 4 .vo for
Canada. Thompson anG -l-r~..
THEN THE DIPLOMATS CONIERRED.
Canada Insists That All the Irritating
Questions Shall Come into Court.
Following the agreement of the ex.
a. Ill