Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-12-04
Or Make Certain That Foreign Peach.
ers Kept Out Of American Waters.

=
srs Kept Out 81 American Waters.
The destruction OF the Pribilof
islands fur seals by spelagic sealing
cordtng to the surveys made In 1874
by direction Of the congress, number
ed 100000. and which. according ia
the survey Of both American and
Canadian commissioners in 1891
amounted to 1000. 600, has now been
reduced to about 10000. This result
has been brought about by Canadian
and some other stealing vessels kill
ing the female seals while III the wa
ter during their annual pilgrimage Ia
and from the south. or in search 81
food A. rule the female seal when
killed y pregnant. and also has an UNI
weaned pup on land, 20 that, for each
skin taken BY pela6ic sealing, a. :
rule. three lives are destroyed
mother, the unborn Offspring. ana the
nursing pup. which ID left to starye Is
de4th. No damage whatever II done
to the herd by the carefully regu-
lated killing on land; the custom Of
pelagic sealing ID solely responsible
for all OF the present evil, and II alike
INDISPENSABLE from the economic stand
point and from the standpoint OF hui
manity.
In 1895 over $4,000 young seals were
found dead from starvation on the
PribiIof islands. In 1897 1t was esti-
mated that since pelagic sealing be-
gan upward Of 100000 adult female
seals had been killed at sea. and over
100000 young seals had died Of star
walton as the result The revolving
barbarity OF such q practise. as well
as the wasteful destruction which it
- M y1exf kt<xv. -
Its its own condemnation. The Bering
Sea Tribunal, which sat in Paris il
1893. and which decided against the
claims OF the United States to exclu-
sive jurisdiction in the waters Of the
Bering sea and to property right
In the fur seals when outside OF the
three-mile limit, determined also upon
certain regulations which the tribunal
considered sufficient for the proper
protection and preservation OF the fur
seal In. or habitually resorting to, the
Bering sea. The tribunal by It's reSu-
lations establisher close season. from
the LIST Of May to the 31st OF July. and
excluded all killing In the waters
within 90 miles around the Pribilof
islands. They also provided that the
regulations which they had determined
upon, with view TO the protection
and preservation Of the seals, should
De submitted every five years to new
examination. so as to enable both in
terested governments to consider
whether. IN the light OF past expert
ence. there was occasion for any modi-.
fication thereof
The regulations have proved plain
" Inadequate to accomplish the OBJ
Ject OF protection and preservation OF
me fnr seals. and for long time this
government has been trying in vain
20 secure from Great Britain such re-
vision ana modification Of the regula-s
lions az were contemplated and pro-
vided for by the award or the tribunal
The process OF destruction has been
accelerated during recent years by the
appearances OF number OF Japanese
vessels engaged In pelagic sealing. AZ
these vessels have not been bound eevn
by the inadequate limitations rre-
scribed by the tribunal OF Paris thew
have paid no attention either Ia the
close season or to the sixty-mile limit
Imposed upon the Canadians, and have
prosecuted their work up to the very
Islands themselves. On July 16 ana
-, the crews from several Japanese
vessels made raids upon the island
~ 81. Paui and before they were
VAA ~ vie tCiy f1Edker and n.
sufficiently armed guard. thew s,,n.
eeeded In killing several hundred seals
ana carrying off the skins of most If
hem. Nearly all the seals killed weer
.emales and the work was done with
rightful barbarity. Many of the seals |
appear to have been skinned alive and
pany were found half skinned and
'tili alive. The, raids were repealed |
'niy By sths.susa OF firearms, and Ave
i the raiders We're killed. two wound |
!. and twelve captured. including the
wo wounded. Those captured have
ince been tried and sentenced To i'm
,risonment An attack OF this kina
lad been wholly unlookt for, but snch
'rovision of vessels. arms. and ammu-
ition Will now be made that Its repe-
ition will not be found profitable
Suitable representation rgs r,,n~i
be Incident have ben mnde to the
overnment Of Japan. and we are a..
ured that AL practicable measure.