The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-10
FUR A OF ALASKA
ABOLITION OF PELAGIC SEALING IS
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
III This Is Done and Sufficient Money
Spent, Legitimate Sealing Will in
Time become Profitable.

present seems to rest in The hands of the
joint high commission, or which the late
Lord Herschell was the head n Gen.
John w. Foster representative on behalf
OF the United States for the fur-seal inter-
ests. This commission met at Quebec in
| September. 1895, to consider a number Of
questions at issue between the United
States and Canada. After several months
of discussion 1t reached a deadlock on the
Alaskan boundary matter, and has appar-
emily done nothing since. At the time of
its activity it was rumored in the press
dispatches that a virtual agreement had
been reached on the seal question and a
number of minor questions before the COM
mission. In the fur-seal matter the settle
ment foreshadowed pointed to the proba-
bility of purchase by the United States of
the vested rights of the Canadian s~ealers,
with concurrent action On the part of
Great Britain in enforcing the abolition Of
the pelagic industry. The only detail re-
naming for adjustment was said to be the
purchase price, the appraisers OF behalf Of
Canada fixing the value CT the pelagic fleet
at half a million dollars, those for the
United States holding that its value was
not over half this sum-, or a quarter Of a
million
BY the findings of fact made by the joint
conference of fur-seal experts in 1897. fol-
lowing the investigation in this and the
preceding season by President Jordan for
the United States and Professor Thompson
for Great Britain, the responsibility for
the decline and threatened destruction of
the fur-seal herd was laid at the door of
pelagic sealing. 1t was shown that while
the land operations of the United States
were confined to the taking of the super
huous male portion of the herd, the opera
tons of the pelagic feet were wholly indis-
eliminate and affected most heavily the
breeding females, three-fourths of the en-
tire catch at sea being of this class. 1t
was evident, therefore, that the continu-
ance of pelagic sealing and the mainte-
patible.. 1t was on the basis of this agree
ment that the Quebec commission took up
the question for final settlement. The task
before these diplomats was merely that of
finding a just and effective means of dis
posing of the right of pelagic sealing.
If pelagic sealing is not abolished, Of
course, the future of the fur-seal herd and
the industries depending upon 1t is annihi-
lation, and there is no room for further dis
cussion. 1t is hardly to be supposed, how
ever, that some final settlement in the in
terests Of the herd will not be reached.
Such a settlement is as much in the inter
est Of the pelagic sealers as of the govern
ment owning the herd. for the pelagic in
dustry is a suicidal one, inevitably exhaust
ing It's own resources. In fact, most Of
those engaged in it are already bankrupt.
The product of land sealing has fallen off
in the past ten years from 100, 900 to 10000
skins. but in half of that time the product
of the pelagic industry has fallen from a
maximum of 14S, 900 TO 10000 skins 1t Is,
therefore, plainly a losing business for the
pelagic sealer, and 1t ought to be possible
to agree upon terms which would induce
him to go out of it. We may, therefore,
assume that a settlement will be reached in
time, and that it will so protect the herd
as to render its recuperation and further
development possible.
THE LEGITIMATE INDUSTRY.
Before considering future conditions we
may inquire what is the present condition
of the legitimate fur seal industry-that of
the United States government. This indus
try has been in existence ever since the
first charter was granted by the Emperor
of Russia to the Russian-American Com
pany in 1899. The pelagic industry, which
threatens its existence, dates only from
about the year 1879. 1t was found by the
conference of experts that in 1897 the fur
seal herd was already commercially
ruined; hat is, that the cost of protection
ceeded the returns from it. The present
condition of the fur seal industry is COM
mercially Improbable. BioIogically speak
ing, the herd, though reduced to less than
one-sixth it's normal condition. is still rep
resented by a vigorous nucleus from which
under proper protection it might be ex-
pected to re-establish itself.
At the present time the legitimate product
of the herd-the yearly quota of young
males-is about 10000 skins. The govern
ment under its contract with the CONNER
cial company leasing the industry receives
an annua rental of $50, 900 n a royalty of
$40 per skin. From the 1900 skins, there
fore, the government receives an annual
income of s255.000. Against this income
must be set certain expenses. Chief among
these is the cost of policing the north Pa
cidc ocean and Boring sea for the enforce
ment of the regulations of the Paris award
AZ 1ot0- u Il
close season in May, jun and July and a
protected zone of sixty miles radius about
the breeding islands in which sealing is
not allowed. restrictions which are by no
means self-enforcing on the high seas.
During the seasons of 1896 and 1897 the
United States had a fleet of five revenue
cutters on patrol duty at an expense OF
from $4,000 to s175.oOO a season. Great
Britain had three ~gunboats in 1896 and two
In 1897 on duty to the same end.
Another item of expense is the support
of the Aleutian sealers residing on the
Pribilof islands, who carry on the sealing
operations and are dependent upon the in
dustry for their livelihood. There are two
villages numbering three hundred men,
women and children. The men are paid by
the lessees for their labor at so much per
skin. When the full quota of 100, 600 skins
was taken each year these communities
We're self-supporting. The earnings of the
men were sufficient to meet the needs OF
their families. With the quota reduced To
one-ffth its normal size their earnings are
inadequate. and Congress finds ii necessary
to supplement them by an annual appro-
~priation of $4,000. 1t should not be forgot