CAUSE. 185 



fifty tlioiisand.^ In 1890 the sealers were unrao- inoroaseofseai- 



iiiy tleet. 



lested, and so in 1891 the number of vessels was 

 nearly doubled, reachmg the enormous figure of 

 one hundred and fifteen,^ but the catch, because 

 of the ever-increashig scarcity of the seals, 

 reached but sixty-two thousand five hundred.^* 

 The agreement between Great Britain and the 

 United States in relation to pelagic sealing in 

 Bering Sea in 1892, and the orders to naval 

 vessels pursuant thereto, have not been of such 

 a nature as to invite investment in the sealing 

 fleet, and yet, in spite of the restrictions imposed 

 and dangers incurred, the fleet of sealing vessels 

 for 1892 is known to contain at least one hun- 

 dred and twenty-three,^ which is below the actual 

 number, as undoubtedly vessels have been en- 

 gaged of which the United States Government 

 has received no reports. The decrease in the 

 seal herd has thus been proportionate to the 

 increase of the sealing fleet* Another significant 

 fact in this connection is that, until the period of 

 decrease began, the sealing vessels did not, as a 



' Report of American Bering Sea Commissioners, post, p. 366. 



2 Ihid., i^ost p. 371. 



3 Table of sealiug fleet, Vol. I, p. 591. 



^ J. C. Redpath, Vol. II, p. 141 ; Alexander C. Sliyba, Vol. II, 

 p. 226. 



* It is probable tbat the various annual catcbes given are much 

 too small, as it bas been most diiiicult to obtain data and statis- 

 tics in this I'espect. 



2716 24 



