| Show Text of the British Behrlnjj Sea Bill LONDON May 30The text of the Behring sea bill introduced in the House of commons yesterday in substance is as follows fol-lows The Queen may by order in council prohibit the catching of seals by British ships during a period to be limited durng lmited by an order in council While the order in council coun-cil under this act is in force no person belonging longing to a British ship shall kill take or hunt or attempt to kill take or hunt any seal within Behring sea during the period i stated in the order of council No British ship or any equipment or crew thereof shall be employed in such killing taking or hunting I there be any contravention of this act any person committing procuring procurng aiding or abetting such contravention shall be guilty of a misdemeanor within sba1 meaning of the merchant shipping act and the ship equipment and everything on board shall be forfeited to her majesty Any commissioned officers on the naval list shall have power during the period limit ed to stop and examine any British ship in Behring sea and to detain her or any portion por-tion of her equipment or any of her crew if in his judgment it is being or preparing to be used 01 employed in contravention of this act I a British ship ia found within Behring sea having on board fishing or shooting implements or seal skins or the bodies of seals it shall lie with the owner or master of such ship to prove his ship is not used or employed in contravention of this act This act shall apply to the animal known as the fur seal In order that the above provisions may be carried into effect it shall bo lawful for any commissioned officer in tho naval or military service of her majesty or any British officer of customs or British consular con-sular offlcsr to seize and detain any ship which had wholly or as to any share here in become subject to forfeiture as aforesaid afore-said and bring her to adjudication before > the high court of admiralty in England or Ireland or before any court having admiralty admi-ralty jurisdiction within her majes tys dominions and such court may thereupon make such order as it may think fit and award the officer bringing in the same for adjudication such portion of the proceeds of sale of any forfeited ship or share as it may think fit Every offense by this act declared to be a misdemeanor will be punishable by fine or imprisonment with or without labor The bill then quotes various sections of tho merchants shipping act to bo applied by the new order I is expected the bill will be passed next week and that afterwards tee council wi proceed to set tho time over which it is riito extend |
