The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-04-25
crAlS ON WAY BACK
TO SUMMER HOME
,,uDATTON TO BERING SEA is
MlUN TnrP WAY. PROTECTED
INV Nv UNITED STATES.

oopT ANGELES, Wash.-The
n,.;6c fur seal herd is on the move.
e Tbe annual migration to the north,
ne bas begun and the vanguard
WaTu L a'1 appear off the coasts OF
VII , Sno and British Columbia
Wa G;nm The way to their summer rem
leadlns ' on the Pribiloff islands, in
dez' ,o;ddIe of Boring sea. All winter
the '"t +bc seals have been scattered
l IrS the south PACING, but as
me- n.;n6 approaches the mating instinct
Smr9 their heads to the north and they
lu anrsr s toward the California coast,
col con t6en follow their time worn
anu anu along the western coasts OF
gioo1TTy r;ted States, British Columbia
ln Id Alaska, the milestones of their
anu nnto bcing the deep sea fishing banks,
ro Laro sncculent salmon, halibut and
W .tor fsh keep them sleek and fat.
o'i Ea,, # anv, other animals are so
..rofIIv pampered and nursed by
f1ncle sam and except tor such los
ter rir the fur seal probably now. would
bn , an extinct animal. With the ex-
~ Oootion of a small colony that sum
n ,ars IN the Commander islands, off
.ho coast of Kamchatka, Siberia, the
herd which propagates on the Pr1bi-
i04s is the only fur seal herd known
70 be in existence.
When Alaska was purchased from
Russia the seals on the Pribilott IS
isnds numbered, according to various
"a;c;al estimates, from 100000 to s.,
006000 ANIMALS, but, due to ruthless
onerations by sealers OF many nations,
the herds were decimated annually.
The United States government, year
after wear. endeavored to negotiate
treaties for the protection OF the seals.
In 1891 a measure of success. was OBJ
famed in treaty with Great Britain
which eliminated Canadian sealers.
The massacre of the herds continu
ed however Numerous sChooners fly
mo the Japanese flag annually reaped
a rich harvest, and the japanese gov
eminent steadfastly refused to inter
fere with the enterprise. Finally, in
1911 when the herds by unrestrained
peagic sealing had been reduced to
approximately 100000 animals, the eff
forts OF the United States were re-
warded and a treaty among four ma
tions-Russia, Great Britain, japan and
the United States-was negotiated to
continue in force for IS years.
This agreement prohibited any OF
the nationals of the signatory powers
from taking seals at any time any
where, with the provision, however,
that agents of the United States might
take a few thousand skins each year
from bachelor males summering on
the Pribiloffs. This does not interfere
with the propagation of the herds. By
the terms OF the treaty the United
States not only amply rewarded the
nations for any loss sustained by their
nationals, but agreed to give annually
Is per cent Of the proceeds of the skins
taken from the few animals killed.
During the months of April, May
and June this year the cutter Snohom-
ish will guard the herd along the route
I between the Columbia river and the
3 Alaskan boundary, and the cutter
Unalga from the latter point to the
entrance to Boring sea. After the mid
die OF June the herd, with the excep-
q ton OF a few stragglers, will have pass
& ed into Bering sea and three other
coast guard vessels will maintain a
rigid guard there