Show I FUR SEAL CONTROVERSY Duty of All Concerned to Preserve tho Herd The efforts which had been made during dur-ing the two previous years by my predecessor pre-decessor to secure better protection to the fur seals in the north Pacific ocean and Behring sea were renewed at an early date by this administration and have been pursued with earnestness Upon my invitation the governments of Russia and Japan sent delegates to Washington and an international conference con-ference was held during the months of October and November last wherein it was unanimously agreed that under the existing regulations this species of useful I use-ful animals was threatened with extinction ex-tinction and that an international agreement of all the interested powers I was necessary for their adequate protection pro-tection I GREAT BRITAINS ACTION I The government of Great Britain did not see proper to be represented at this conference but subsequently sent to Washington as delegates the expert commissioners of Great Britain and Brtn Canada who had during the past two years visited the Pribilof Islands and who met in conference similar commissioners commis-sioners on the part of the United States nD 01 fnl q on ni nn1oonn agreement on important facts connected I connect-ed with the condition of the seal herd heretofore in dispute which should place beyond controversy the duty of the governments concerned to adopt I measures without delay for the preservation preser-vation and restoration of the herd Negotiations Ne-gotiations to this end are now in progress pro-gress the result of which I hone to be I able to report to congress at an early day |