The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-09-01
SEAL FISHERY.
It Win Soon End in determination I'm
less Nations Intervene.

Aeoa AatAoun AultAFguSs
There is perhaps no group of the larg
er wild animals of the world which is SC
abundant in individuals as are the seals
marine mammals which are found alike
in the Arctic and Tropic zones and
which are distributed all over the world
From an economic point Of view they
are Of high Importance to man, the sea-
fisheries Of Newfoundland alone running
IN value up to almost half a million dol
lars. OF recent years they have also
been Of high political Importance, the SUBJ
jeet Of dispatches, protocols and confer.
enees, and about them many legal argu-
ments have been used by Representatives
Of two Of the great Powers Of the world.
Much interesting information has been
furnished us about the seals in a paper
| Nv Mr.. z. II. Townsend, director OF the
Aquarium, published IN the annual re-
port OF the New York Geological So
ciety.
The Newfoundland seal fishery seems
to have reached its height about 40
years ago, at which time no less than
400 sailing vessels, employing 5000 men
were. engaged in it. In 1874 the number
Of seals taken was 100000; but the
Newfoundland seal herd could not
stand the drain to which it was subject.
led, decreased in number and the catch
now varies from year to year, the num-
Der killed in 1899 having been more than
26S,000 and in 1900 more than $4,000.
The species found here is chiefly the
Greenland seal, though a few hooded
seals are taken each year.
The seal are killed on their breeding
ground on the ice, and more than 90
per cent of the annual catch are Young
animals taken before they are three
weeks old. The force employed in this
fishery today is about Is steam vessels
and giving employment to 5000 OF 1000
men. The gradual decrease of the num-
Der Of the seals has made it necessary TO
put close season on them, 80 that the
time for taking them at present lasts
little more than a month, beginning
March 16. These seals are killed for
their hides and oil but do not produce
a fur that is OF any value
Largest of the seal family is the huge
sea elephant, or elephant seal, so named
from his greatly elongated and flexible
snout--a real proboscis. In the early
days of the seal-fshing industry seal ele-
plants abounded in the Antarctic lands,
where they were killed for their oil, the
skins being almost valueless. A north
ern species Of sea elephant was formerly
abundant along the western coast Of
North America to the south in early
days, and even as late as 1870. For
years it was killed there BY the whalers
and at last was practically exterminat-
ed, so that when, in 1884, Mr.. Townsend
examined Lower California for this !
species, he was able to find only is of |
the animals. Nevertheless in 1904 d few |
stTagglers were taken.
The familiar walrus of the Arctic re- |
gions which formerly was sometimes !
found on the Atlantic coast as far south |
Is the ST. Lawrence River, and another
species common in the Behrina Sea, have |
now ben exterminated from all parts of /
sither coast which are at all accessible. 7
The West Indian seal, once abundant |
n the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of |
Mexico, and on some of the Florida keys
ind the Bahama Islands, is almost ex-
anti dttNAt IL Autts WIS ltidttltAitY tA- |
over century ago. One OF
hese seals lived in the New York
Aquarium for more than five years.
In the two great inland bodies Of wa
ct, tho Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal, i
re found seals which probably made
heir way into the great inland waters
which they inhabit long, long ago, and
ave remained there ever since. The
-alue Of the catch of seals in the Cas-
ian Sea has been in single season
,350,00O in skins and OIL The Lake
3aikal seal is remarkable chiefly as in
.abiting fresh water. Commercially, it
5 unimportant.
Far best Of all the seals are those be
Unging to the group called the cared
ieals, which furnish the fur sealskin.
hese are found in the Arctic and An
arctic, in the temperate zone, and under
breeding Of the equator. The South
african fur seal, breeding off the west
cast of South Africa, was almost ex-