274 REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 



onough, during the progress of the Bill, there was some idea of mating it apply to a 

 larger area than that contemplated by the English Act, it being held in Norway that 

 such an area was an unduly restricted one, and the Bill was passed on the under- 

 standing that a modification on this point should hereafter be made, if necessary. 



In November 1876 a fresh Order in Council was obtained in England again fixing 

 the 3rd April as the day for opening the fishery, and steps were taken for circulating 

 copies of it and of the Act amongst those concerned in the United Kingdom, and for 

 informing the foreign Governments interested. 



By about the end of March 1877 the Governments of Norway, Sweden, Germany, 

 and Holland had all taken legislative steps similar to those adopted in Great Britain, 

 and the close season until the 3rd April thus established has been duly observed by 

 parties of these nationalities and by British subjects, who were all that were engaged 

 in the fishery, except possibly some Russians. It has not been necessary to orgaui^^e 

 any police for the enforcement of the Act. No date was fixed for the commencement 

 of the close season, though Germany raised the point, the advisableness of fixing a 

 date for that purpose being then doubted by the Board of Trade. 



In 1879 Russia intimated that she had imposed similar restrictions on her own 

 subjects. 



In 1885 Captain Gray and others of the Peterhead interest represented that the 

 close season which had been imposed had had most beneficial results, but that further 

 restrictions were to be desired. 



They intimated that a new branch of the fishery, i. e., that for " hooded seals," had 

 been created between Iceland and Greenland, extending as far south as the latitude 

 of Cape Farewell; and that, with a view to more effectually protect the breeding 

 seals and immature young, the close season should be extended. 



They accordingly proposed that the area for restrictions should in future be that 

 comprised between 60° and 76° north latitude, excluding Iceland and its territorial 

 waters, and between the Greenland coast on the west and the ice margin on the east, 

 that the close time should end on the 10th April, and that a definite date (10th July) 

 should be fixed for commencement of the close season. 



They added that there was reason to believe that the Norwegians, as the only 

 foreigners then engaged in the fishery, would be ready to concur. 



These proposals were supported by the Fishery Board for Scotland, the only part 

 of the United Kingdom from which ships were known to proceed to the fishery. At 

 the instance of the Board of Trade the proposals were submitted by the Foreign 

 Office to the Governments of the five foreign countries who participated in the exist- 

 ing restrictions. 



By November 1886 replies were received from all those countries, with the excep- 

 tion of Russia. These replies were to the following effect : 



GERMANY AND HOLLAND. 



The Governments expressed themselves as disposed to favourably regard the 

 Scottish proposals but as awaiting information as to the course contemplated by 

 other Powers. 



200 SWEDEN. 



Those interested received the Scottish proposals rather favourably, but wished, in 

 consideration of young seals moulting in April, that opening of fishery should be not 

 later than the 7th of that mouth, and, further, that closing day should be the 7th July. 



NORWAY. 



Those interested thought the 10th April and 10th July inadmissible as dates for 

 opening and closing, and did not wish Iceland and its waters excluded from the 

 protected area. They also had proposals of their own widely divergent from those 

 of Scotland. These were: 



{a.) That to prevent destruction of females, it should be forbidden to kill old seals 

 before the 15th April (6 A. M.) at the places where the young are taken. 



(6.) That in consideration of hooded seals having no young to need protection 

 towards end of close season, the fishery for these seals between Cape Farewell and 

 Spitzbergen should be free until the 15th July (6 p.m.), after which date it was, 

 according to them, pursued only by one or two ships under conditions ruinous to 

 the fishery, as the seals having by that date become very wild, immense numbers 

 were then destroyed by shooting at long range without many being actually taken. 



(c.) That to obviate dangers incident to opening the fishery immediately after 

 midnight, the opening should be at 6 a. m. on the 3rd April, or, if that day is a 

 Sunday, at 6 a. m. on the 4th. 



(d.) That the limits of protected area should be 60° and 78° north latitude, the 

 east coast of Greenland, and 10° east longitude (Greenwich). 



