Arizona republican., 1906-12-05

has an unweaned pup on land, so that, for each skin taken by pelagic sealing. as a rule. three lives are destroyed the mother, the unborn offspring, and the nursing pup which is left to starve to death. No damage whatever is done to the herd by the carefully regulated killing on land; the custom of pelagic sealing is solely responsible for all of the present evil, and is alike indefen- sible from the economic standpoint and from the standpoint of humanity.
 In 1896 over 16.OOO young seals were found dead from starvation on the Pribilof islands. In 1897 it was esti- mated that since pelagic sealing be- gan upward of 4OO.000 adult female seals had died of starvation as the re- suit The revolting barbarity of such a practice, as well as the wasteful de- struction which it involves, needs no demonstration and is it's own condem- nation. The Boring sea tribunal, which sat in Paris in 1893, and which decided against the claims of the United States to exclusive jurisdiction in the waters of Boring sea and to a 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 Boring sea. The tribunal by its regu- latiOns established a close season, from the 1st of May to the S1st of July, and excluded all killing in the waters with in sixty miles around the Pribilof islands. They also provided that the regulations which they had determined upon, with a view to the protection and preservation of the seals should be submitted every five years to new examination, so as to enable both in terested governments to consider whether. in the light of past experi- ence, there was occasion for any modi- dcation thereof.
 The regula tions have proved plainly inadequate to accomplish the object of protection and preservation of the fur seals, and for a long time this govern ment has been trying in vain to secure from Great Britain such revision and modification of the regulations as were contemplated and provided for by the award of the tribunal of Paris.
 The process of destruction has been accelerated during recent years by the appearance of a number of Japanese vessels engaged in pelagic sealing. As these vessels have not been bound even by the inadequate limitations pre- scribed by the tribunal of Paris. they have paid no attention either to 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 IS and r the crews from several Japanese yes sels made raids upon the island of St. Paul. and before they were beaten off by the very meager and insufficiently armed guard, they succeeded in killing several hundred seals and carrying of the skins of most Of them. Nearly all the seals killed were females and the work was done with frightful barbar- ity. Many of the seals appear to have been skinned alive and many were found half skinned and still alive. The raids were repelled only by the use of firearms and five of the raiders were killed. two were wounded. and twelve captured. including the two wounded. Those captured have since been tried and sentenced to imprisonment. An attack of this kind had been wholly unlocked for, but such provision of vessels. arms and ammunition will now be made that it's repetition will not be found profitable
 Suitable representations regarding the incident have been made to the government of Japan. and we are as sured that all practicable measures will be taken by that country to pre- vent any recurrence of the outrage On our part, the guard on the island will be increased, and better equipped