The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-01-26
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unues The herd which. according to
thc surveys made n 1874 hy direction
of che Congress. numbered A1UOUuO aud
which according to che survey uf both
American and Canadian Commissioner
boz 1891, amounted to- lOOOuOO. lms now
been reduced t0 about lbOOuO This rec
cult has been brought about by Cana
dian and some other sealing vessels hII-
ing The female seals while boo thc water
during their annual pilgrimage TO and
from the south. or Boa search of food.
A. a rule the female seal WHOM killed Is
pregnant. and also has an unWcancd pup
on land So that for each skin taken by
pelagic sealing. as a rule. three lives are
destroyed the mother tire unborn Of
spring and che nursing pup. which is left
20 starye 90 death no damage whatever
il done 10 the herd Boy the carefully
regulated killing on land the custom
Of pelagic scaling is solely responsible
for all Of the present evil, and Is alike
indefensible from the economic stand
point and from the standpoint Of hd-
manity.
In 1896 over 10000 young seals were
found dead from starvation on the Pr-
bilOv islands In 1897 it was estimated
that since pelagic sealing began upward
Of 100000 adult female seals lmd been
killed az sea, and over 100000 young seals
lad died Of starvation as the result The
revolving barbarity Of such q practice, as
well as the wasteful destruction which it
involves, needs no demonstration and Is
it, own condemnation. The Boring Sea
Tribunal. winch sat in Paris in 1893, and
which decided against the claims of the
United States 10 exclusive jurisdiction in
the waters Of Boring Sea and to a prop
erty right in the fur seals when outside
Of the three-mie limit, determined also
upon certain regulations which the tribu-
nal considered sufficient for the proper
protection and preservation Of the fur
seal in, or habitually resOrting to the
Boring sea. The tribunal by It's regula-
tiOns established a close season, from the
lst Of May to the 3lst Of July, and ex-
cluded all killing in the waters within
sixty miles around the Pribiloy islands.
They also provided tlfat the regulations
which they had determined upon, with
a view ~ the protection and preserya-
ton Of the seals, should be submitted
every five years 10 new examination, 50 as
10 enable both interested Governments
10 consider whether, in the light Of past
experience, there was occasion for any
modification thereof.
The regulations Rave 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 mo-
dificatiOn Of the regulations as were con-
templated 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 yes
sells engaged in pelagic sealing. As these
vessels have not been bound even by the
inadequate limitations prescribed by the
tribunal Of Paris, they have paid no at
tention 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 18th and 18th the crews from
several japanese vessels made raids upon
the island Of st. Paul, and before they
were beaten of by the very meager and
insufhciently armed guard, they succeed
ed in killing several hundred seals and
carrying off the skins of most Of them.
Nearly all the seals killed were females
and the work was done with frghtful
barbarity. Many Of the seals appear to
have been skinned alive and many were
IL Iii oil bo
raids we're repealed only by the use Of
firearms, and five Of the raiders were kill
ed, two were wounded, and twelve cap
tured, including the two wounded. Those
captured have since been tried and sem
fenced 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 re-
petition will not be found profitable.
Suitable representations regarding the
incident have been made to the Govern
ment Of Japan, and we are assured that
all practicable measures will be taken
by that country 10 prevent any recur-
renee Of the outrage. On our part, the
guard on the island will be increased and
better equipped and organized, and bet
ter reyenue-cutter patrol service about
the Islands will be established; next sea-
son a United States war vessel will also
be sent there.
We have not stopped our efforts to Sc
cure an agreement with Great Britain
for adequate protection Of the seal herd,
and negotiations with japan for the same
purpose are in progress.
The laws for the protection of the
seals within the Jurisdiction Of the Unit
ed States need revision and amendment.
Only the islands Of St. Paul and st.
George are now, IN terms, included in the
Government reservation, and the other
islands are also to be included. The
landing Of aliens as well as citizens upon
the islands, without a permit from the
Department Of Commerce and Labor, for
any purpose except in case of stress OF
weather or for water, should be prohibit
ed under adequate penalties The APP
prOach Of vessels for the excepted pur-
poses should be regulated. The authority
~ the Gouorurnant agapfa nm thu iaIopdg