The Ely miner., 1912-04-05

Crlnlnat6, was cOnnne0 TO DdCnelOTS, anu
no effect on the permanence of the herd.
Although the indiscriminate killing of seals
in the sea had been going on from very early
times this business was not extensive, was
conducted by natives using spears in their
canoes and had no appreciable effect on the
herd.
Special inquiry made by the government
showed that in different years from 70 to over
80 per cent of the seals killed at sea, either
on the northwest coast or in Bering Sea, were
females.
What pelagic hunting then meant to the seal
herd when so large a fleet was engaged, and
what it has meant recently when the fleet was
larger in proportion to the number of seals,
may be appreciated when it is stated (D that
for every seal killed and secured by the hunt
ers not less than two seals were killed and
lost because they sank before the hunters
could lay hold of them, while many that were
wounded and escaped died later; (2) that for
every adult female killed on the way to the
islands in spring an unborn pup was sacri-
feed; co that for every female killed after
the herd had reached the islands pup. on
shore was left to die a lingering death by
starvation and pup to be born she next sea-
son was likewise sacrificed.
The government was not slow to realize the
damage dore to the seal herd by pelagic seal
ing and vas led to assume jurisdiction over
the entire American side of Bcring Sea and to
regard as poachers any persons found hunting
seals therein. The seizure of vessels flying
the United States and British flags followed
and there arose controversy with Great Brlt-
ain which eliminated in the reference of the
case to an international tribunal of arbitration
that met in Paris in 1893. The award OF the
arbitration court was against the United States
on both of the main contentious, namely, the
Bering Sea is closed sea, and THAT the prop
erty right In the seal herd warraLted the gov
ernment in protecting the seals while on the
high seas.
Since the award of the Paris tribunal the
case of tho fur-seal herd has gobe from bad to
worse The United States government early
showed its good faith by prohibiting its citi
zens from engaging in the lucrative industry OF
pelagic sealing; but the subjects of all other
countries were permitted to do so. and 1t was
the injection of new factcr, Japan, that con.
tributed more than any Gtlser cause to tie
decimation of our seal herd.
The fur-seal problem With which the United
States government now has to deal presents
several phases. The most important duty the
responsible officials have 10 perform is to con.
serve and increase the seal herd. This in
wolves continuous care, study, and observa
tion the determination az the actual condition
and needs of the herd. snd the application Of
the results of scientific and economic investi-
CATION to the welfare of the seals.
A scarcely less important duty, and one that
is in no respect antago1istic to the first, is 10
provide revenue and &, utilize highly useful
resource at the time when that resource pos
sesses the greatest market value This in
wolves the judic.eus killing of the male seals
when they are two or three years old and the
disposal of their pelts to the best advantage.
A third duty is to ascertain what are the real
needs of the helpless native inhabitants Of the
seal islands, and to give them the air that Is
best suited for their mental, moral and physi
cal natures.
Recent criticism of the governments policy
of taking the skins of seals in view Of the de-
pleted condition of the herd is based on def
cient knowledge. The fur seal being highly
polygamous animal, and males and females be-
ing born In equal numbers it follows that un-
der the conditions that have prevailed and
still continue the number of males produced
is far in excess of the requirements OF nature
for the perpetuation of the species.
The preservation and increase of the seal
herd is entirely compatible with judicious gao
rifce of limited number of young male seals
each year. and this is quite true when TIE
herd is depleted as when the rookeries are
crowded to their full capacity. When the pres
ence Of a sufficient reserve is determined by
responsible officers of the government, the
utilization of the surplus males for their pelts
and incidentally for native food is justified and
demanded by common sense and fuflls the
utmost demands of both the spirit and the
letter of genuine conservation
If not single male seal were to be killed
on the islands or at sea during the next five
years, not a single additional seal would be
produced as result of that course. If not a
single male seal were to be killed on the
islands or at sea during the Pext 20 years, net
single seal would be added tt the herd thai
will not be added If the present policy of re
stricted killing of surplus males is continued