152 REPORT OF 15RITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



in tlie industry. In 1883 nine, and in 1884 eleven, schooners were 

 employed, and all are said to have been fairly successful. One of 

 these vessels, the "Mary Ellen," belonging to Victoria, outfitted at 

 San Francisco, and eventually continued her voyage into Behring Sea, 



which she entered about the 15th June, and left about the end 

 101 of August. Tliis, so far as ascertained, was the first of the 



British Columbian schooners to extend sealing operations to the 

 waters of Behring Sea. It has not, however, been definitely ascer- 

 tained that the " Mary Ellen " was the only vessel to enter Behring 

 Sea in this year. 



589. The result of the venture of the "Mary Ellen" having been 

 satisfactory, she, and at least one other vessel, entered Behring Sea in 

 1885. Thirteen British Columbian schooners in all are known to have 

 been engaged in sealing in this year. 



590. In 1886, eighteen schooners engaged in the sealing industry. 

 One of these had been brought round the Horn from the eastern coast 

 of Canada for the purpose. Two were wrecked, but the remaining 

 sixteen vessels entered Behring Sea; and in this year, for the first 

 time, exception was taken to sealing in this i)art of the ocean by the 

 Government of the United States, and three of the sealers, the "Caro- 

 lena," " Onward," and "Thornton," were seized. 



591. In 1887, seventeen British Columbian schooners were engaged 

 in sealing; fifteen of these are believed to have continued their opera- 

 tions into Behring Sea, six being seized there by the United States 

 cutters " Eush " and " Bear." 



592. In 1888, twenty-one vessels from British Columbia composed the 

 sealing fleet, and though the fishery was carried on in liehring Sea in 

 the latter part of the season, no seizures were made by the United 

 States. One schooner, however, the "Araunah," was this year seized 

 and confiscated by the Russian Government, having been detected in 

 sealing within the territorial waters of Copper Island.* 



593. In 1889, the sealing fleet consisted of twenty-two vessels, all of 

 which are believed to have entered Behring Sea. In this year four of 

 these vessels were seized, and one was ordered out of the sea. 



594. In 1890, twenty-nine British Columbian vessels were engaged in 

 sealing, twenty-three of which entered Behring Sea. 



595. In 1891, the sealing fleet of British Columbia had increased to 

 fifty vessels, and most, if not all, of these cleared with the intention of 

 entering Behring Sea. The adoption of the modus vivendi between 

 Great Britain and the United States, however, had the efl'ect of turning 

 back many of these vessels, while the patrolling of the sea and warning 

 of others, with other circumstances connected with the operations in 

 tliis year, need not be repeated here. 



590. As already noted, the first extension of the cruizes of the sealing- 

 schooners of British Columbia was that along the coast to the south- 

 ward, and this began to be practised as early as 1878 or 1879. Sealing 

 operations were first extended into Behring Sea by sealers from British 

 Columbia in 1881, though one or more United States schooners had 

 already at that date been for several years accustomed to frequent 

 Behring Sea for this purpose, and cargoes obtained by them were sold 

 in Victoria in 1881 and 1883. The pra(;tice grew up of making in the 

 winter and early spring a voyage from Victoria to the southward, after 

 which the vessels returned to Victoria and outfitted there for the north- 

 ern voyage. This was found, however, to be inconvenient, from the loss 

 of time involved, as well as from the fact that crews often had to be 



Parliamentary Paper [C— 6041], 18S0. 



