New-York tribune., 1901-02-10

fur seal nerd were incompatible. IL was on the
basis OF this agreement that the Quebec Com
mission took up the question for final settle
ment The task before these diplomats was
merely that of finding just and effective means
Of disposing of the right of pelaglc sealing
If peagic sealing is not abolished. Of course
the future of the fur seal herd and the industries
depending upon it is annihilation. and there is
for further discussion 1t is hardly to
be supposed, however that some final settlement
in the interests of the herd will not be reached.
Such settlement is as much in the interest of
the pelagic sealers as of the Government owning
the herd. for the peagic industry is a suicidal
one. inevitably exhausting its own resources.
In fact. most Of those engaged in it are already
bankrupt.
FALLING OFF IN THE PRODUCT.
The product of land sealing has fallen off in
the last ten years from 100000 to 10000 skins.
but in half of that time the product of the
pelagic industry has fallen from a maximum of
$4,000 to 250O0 skins 1t is therefore plainly
a losing business for the pelagic sealer. and IT
ought TO be possible to agree upon terms which
would induce him TO 90 out of it. We may
therefore assume that a settlement Will he
reached in ii - and that it will so protect the
herd as to render its recuperation and further
development possible.
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 industry has been In
existence ever since the first charter was grant
ed by the Emperor of Russia to the Russian
American Company in 1T99 The pelagc indus
try 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 that
is. the cost Of protection and maintenance on
land and at sea exceeded the returns from IT,
The present condition Of the fur seal industry
Is commercially Improbable. Biologically speak
ing. the herd though reduced to less than one
sixth its normal condition. is still represented
by a vigorous nucleus from which. under proper
protection. it might he expected in due time 70
establish itself
GOVERNMENT RENTAL. SMALL.
Al the present time the legitimate product Of
the herd Cthe yearly quota of young males) Is
about 20O00 skins The Government under it's
contract with the commercial company leasing
the industry receives an annual rental Of S5500O
and a royalty Of $40 skin From the 10000
skins. therefore. the Government receives an
annual income Of 800 OOO. Against this income
must be set certain expenses. Chief among
these is the cost Of policing the North Pacific
Ocean and Rehring Sea for the enforcement Of
the regulations OF the Paris Award Of 1898
These regulations provide for a close season in
May. June 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 selS-enforcng on the
high seas. During the seasons OF 1896 and 1897
the United States had fleet OF five revenue
cutters on patrol duty at an expense OF from
had three gunboats in 1896 and two in 1897 on
duty to the same end
Another item Of expense is the support Of
the Aleutan sealers residing on the PribyIof
Islands who carry on the sealing operations and
ar~ dependent upon the industry for their live
hhood There are two villages. numbering three
hundred men. women and children. The men
are paid by the lessees for their labor at so
much a skin When the full quota OF one hun
dred thousand skins was taken each year these
communities We're self-supporting: the earnings
OF the men We're sufficient 10 meet the needs
of their families. With the quota reduced 10
one-tifth its normal size their earnings are in
adequate and Congress hnds il necessary 10
supplement- them by an annual appropriation OF
$4,000
OTHER ITEMS OF EXPENSE.
It should not be forgotten. moreover. in deal
ing with the future Of the fur seal herd. that
these people must become a charge upon the
bounty of the Government i'm case of its failure
Other items of expense such as the salaries
and maintenance Of the four agents VINO reside
upon the islands and care for the Governments s
interests and the cost of administration in the
Treasury Bureau al Washington, are not so
easily estimated. bu1 considerable When
we bring these various expenses together we
see that the verdict Of the fur seal experts was
justified and that the industry is at present
maintained at an actual loss 1t may be noted.
however, that the largest item of expense
that for patrols due solely to the presence Of
pelagIc sealing and would disappear with it's
abolition. The question of the support OF the
native sealers would also speedily adjust itself
were the herd protected and enabled TO grow and
increase.
To the present commercially Improbable