Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-03
Biggest Herd in the World
Rapidly DwindIing.
CREATE HAVOC
Secretary Straus Discusses the Vexed
Question.
JAPANESE GREAT OFFENDERS
Causes Which Adversely Affect the
Sealing Industry and Threaten
Practical Extinction.

Practical Extinction.
| Those who own furs-seal furs-should
be careful of them. for the time is not far
distant when. unless something is done.
sealskins will be sold by Troy weight
and will rival South African diamonds
| in price. For it SO happens that seals
are scarce and growing scarcer every
day The biggest seal herd In the world.
that OF the Pribliof Islands. In Alaska,
| which belongs to the United States gov
eminent. is rapidly dwindlng. as are
the herds in other parts OF the coun-
try. Japanese seal poachers have created
havoc with the Alaskan herds, and this
government will either have to reach an
| agreement with the Japanese authorities
on the subject or greatly increase It's
present police service OF the Alaskan
coast in order to stop the slaughter.
The subject is taken up specifically by
Secretary Straus of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor In his recent annual
report. 1t Is one which has vexed the
authorities for number of years, but
it is only recently that the seal industry
has been threatened by the pelagic or
open-sea sealers. The Japanese are de
clared to be the greatest offenders I'm this
respect, the results Of their poachings
during the past year having been most
serious.
Terms Of Existing Contract.
Under the existing arrangement one fur
sealing company has a contract with the
United States government by which il
kills a limited number OF seals, paying a
bounty for each hide taken and killing
only under fixed conditions. AS a result
Of the agreement between Great Brit
ain and the United States these two coun-
seals within zone of sixty miles from
the Pribilof Islands. Poachers from
these two nations worked for several
years. but they found that the loss Of
an occasional vessel. which was captured
by the authorities. amounted to more
than the seal catch, and. therefore. gave
up poaching as being too expensive. The
Japanese, however, have not learned this
yet, and it is now question OF whether
they will continue at their work until
they reduce the great seal herd to I'M
profitable numbers or whether they will
find out before that point is reached that
seal poaching is an Improbable enter
prise.
1.-THE operations of the pelagic seaIers
stIil continue to affect adversely the seal
ing industry and to threaten the practical
extinction Of the seal herd" Secretary
Straus says. Eight vessels only were
during the past season. their cruising
in Boring Sea being confined to the waters
outside the siXty-mile zone from the pri-
bilofs.
japanese Vessels at Work.
"Thirty-seven japanese sailing vessels
were reported as cruising during the sea-
son In the waters adjacent to the seal
islands. and two OF these which had
penetrated within the three-mile limit.
were discovered by the captain OF the
Bear with their small boats down and
actually engaged In seal poaching. These
vessels, known as the kinsei Maru and
the Saikaf Maru. together with their
guns and small boats. were accordingly
seized by the cutters commander and
their masters and crews arrested
The latter were transported to Cnga
and given a preliminary hearing and
were subsequently Transferred to Valdez
for trial before the Unites States court
The trial of these japanese is still pend
ing, but their conviction and sentence to
imprisonment Is practically certain.
In addition to the fleet of revenue YES
sells the gunboat Yorktown cruised in
Boring Sea all last season to assist in
the protection of the herds. The fleet OF
it is due to the activity of the fleet In
cooperation with the island guards that
the incursions Of the poachers were held
In check. In spite of their Efforts, how
ever, the Japanese did a great deal OF
harm.
Not Bound by Tribunals Act.
The japanese were not bound by the
provisions of the Paris tribunal of arb-
tration concerning the protection OF the
seals and consequently are not restrained
from pursuing sealing upon the Pacific
Ocean even up to the territorial waters of
the Pribiof Islands. AS a matter OF
fact the forbidden zone is all the more
attractive to them since the sealing craft
of other nations are forbidden to enter it.
The Pribilof seal rookeries extend over
a space Of the shore line estimated at
about ten miles on st. Paul, the larger OF
the islands. and about five miles on st.
George. The Japanese, with feet OF
thirty-seven schooners, carrying about
$50 small boats, can form a GORDON,
through which the breeding female seals.
when driven to the open sea IN search OF
food. cannot penetrate without the loss
Of many OF their number. On st. Paul
Island instances were noted by the Amer
lean service last season OF the boats from
half a dozen japanese schooners at a
time when fog yelled their movements.
advancing abreast on a rookery. when
within short distance from shore the
occupants Of the boats would open fre
with their shotguns. the noise "onid
TO the water and the Japs would with
draw from shore and wait until the fog
lifted, when they would calmly proceed
to slaughter the seals they had stam-
peded.
Big Reduction in Herd.
From its original number OF more than
million breeding females the Alaskan
herd has been reduced to less than fifty
thousand breeding females. And as Sec
rotary Straus points out. the date of
extinction is near at hand.
Long experience and painstaking In
yestiraftou.' the Secretary says, "have
demonstrated that pelagic sealing alone il
responsible for the continuous dimnu-
ton of this herd, and that no patrol.
however great in numbers and active in
duty. no measures Of conservation, how
ever wise and vigorous, can adequately
avail for protection during the continu-
ance OF such destructive practice. Tho
sixty-mile zone OF exemption prescribed
bv the Paris convention was long ago
found an insufficient safeguard, and since
that safeguard has been swept aside by
the Intrusion of a new foe to the seal life
the swift and certain determination OF
this valuable animal, from a commercial
standpoint, becomes a matter OF near ap-
proach.