18973 Attempts to Abolish Pelagic Sealing 



abolish pelagic sealing and thus preserve the Fur 

 Seal herds. British assent, however, though never British 

 refused, was never given — the reason assigned for ^^^^^^^^<^e 

 delay being that protection had become relatively 

 unimportant because the depletion of the herd had 

 rendered land-killing and sea-killing alike unprofit- 

 able. At the time, that statement was practically 

 true, — as we all agreed, — but very soon a general 

 rise in prices due in part to scarcity of furs, in part 

 to world-wide causes, made sealing again remu- 

 nerative, as I have already explained. Moreover, 

 nothing short of adequate protection would ever 

 restore the herd; and now, we urged, was the time 

 to give it. 



Gradually, however, it became evident that Great 

 Britain was only a nominal agent, always awaiting 

 Canada's initiative in the afi^air; and Canada her- 

 self would do nothing unless and until her joint in- 

 terest with the United States should be recognized. 

 As to this we Americans hesitated, our Govern- Out pre- 

 ment being still unwilling to admit that by the ^''"'^'''^ 

 Paris Award the United States had lost all legal 

 claim to ownership of the Pribilof herd, although 

 necessarily held responsible for its protection on 

 land. 



Our only possible appeal, therefore, was in be- 

 half of the animals, threatened with extinction be- 

 cause no nation legally owned them, while the con- 

 ditions positively demanded that some one country 

 be at all times charged with their defense both on 

 land and sea. The conviction thus grew on me that 

 the sole way out was to admit Canada to some kind 

 of partnership, an arrangement which I accordingly 

 urged more than once. This could be brought about 



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