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Show AL S! POOR SEALS. If Sa. "bury hasIHis Way tha Extermina-t Extermina-t n of the Entire Race is a Matter of Okie Season Only. His I Joposition is Wholly Unfair Arrogant and Even Insulting to This Country. A SLAUGHTER SO GREAT That There Will not be Enough Seal Lsft t Develop a Herd of Commercial Value in Twenty Years. A POACHER'S PARADISE ill he Founded in the Waters or the Behring -The Situation Conceded to he llrave by the Omtulat Washington Wash-ington -MeWS of Experts. Washington, March 5. The Behriug sea matter has assumed a most serious phase, and tie public oilicials make no attempt to disguise their grave concern at the outcome. It was developed today that Lord Salisbury's proposition with regard to the present season sea-son is not only to open tho Beh-rlug Beh-rlug sea outside the thirty mile zone, from Pribylotf isl ids to indiscriminate real-ing, real-ing, iMst t.,. ,.iit the eatch within that belt, including, of course the shores of the island, to 80,000 seals. In the language of a prominent official this proposition is wholly unfair, arrogant and even insulting to this country. It is contonded by experts that the opening open-ing of the Behring sea for one season in the manner suggested would result in the speedy extermination of the seal species and there would be nothing left to arbitrate upon. The news from British Columbia Colum-bia ' is that a sealing Deet is making preparations for unusually exteu-sive exteu-sive operations this season is coulirmed at the state department. Inquiry developed the fact that a number were so engaged last year notwithstanding the Behring sea was closed and patrolled by naval vessels of Great Britain aud the United States and that the catch of the poachers within its waters agregated nearly seventy thousand seals. New York, March 5 The Herald Washington Wash-ington man saw and asked Prof. Elliott, a recognized authority on the life aud habit of the seal, who has spent many seasons in the Bering sea as government agent, Investigating Investigat-ing the whole matter to give a statement as to the effect of the English ultimatum. He said: "The ruin and extermination of the fur seal is at hand unless the modus Vivendi is renewed Poachers will kill practically all the seals left on the island. Shutting the Pelagic fleet out thirty miles would not prevent the sealeraytetting as itood a chance to kill the L.nuflajyal mothers as though poachers allfweu'cvf .Uhin three miles of the sli We. one inscTi ed aud twenty vessels manned b 1 thousand nieu next summer wilt destroy Wie herd without going within rlftylniiles rjthe islands. The pups will starw an wf there will not be enough seals left ft) de MV: a herd of commercial value tor tBent. Mors. "ConiTfrT," Elliott continued, "Should ascer i at once whether this prop-ositicn prop-ositicn oi Salisbury is linal or not; if it is. a bill should be passed immediately repealing the law preventing the killing of the female seals on the islands. If the Canadian and American poachers arc to be allowed to kill the fema'e seals within thirty miles of the isiands, law-abiding Ameriiaus on the islands ought to be allowed a chance to get their sh;-re. The poachers will pay the government nothing hut for every 6eal killed on the islands the government get a tax of till. This money should form a fund for the maintenance of unfortunate natives of the seal islands, who are wholly uepeudent upon this industry. Unless Salisbury recedes from his present position and consent to the renewal of last year's ino-UI uivcnili reslrictiug the catch of seals to such as are regarded as necessary for the welfare of the natives, it will be necessary ne-cessary for this government to undertake alone to give protection to the 6eals by the enforcement of the laws bearing on the subject. sub-ject. It is probable that a special meeting of the cabinet will be held Monday for the purpose of considering the subject and deciding upon action in case of Lord Salisbury's insistence on his last proposition. So many more poachers at work would inevitably in-evitably result in the total destruction of the industry before next fall, possibly before the iiuestioii at issue could even be submitted to arbitration It may be stated as a fact that this government is not at. all disposed to allow this to he done without making a vigorous vig-orous and determined effort to prevent it. Londox, March 5. Inquiry was made at the foreign office today by a representative of the associated pres:. regarding the Bering sea negotiations. The official interviewed I said that altlu ugh he did not wish to make a statement at this Juncture yet i he could i ay no information has been rece.e 1 that the Bering sea commissioner.-, have failed to arriue at a satisfactory ei: entc regarding the methods to be employe 1 iu the seal fisheries. He deprecated wha ; he called the auimus which permeated the ufonnation received here in the United Stat s concerning the matter. |