. COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 161 



(a.) That of fur-seals killed at sea with fire-arms at least c^^^**'*^ 19^* i^e* 

 66 per cent, are lost, and that this loss occurs in two ways: ^^^•^^' ■ 



(1) by the seals sinking before they can be secured, and 



(2) by fatally- wounded seals escaping. 



(b.) That from 80 to 90 per cent, of the seals killed at ^i^-, pp. i97, 

 sea are females, and that of these at least 75 per cent, are " 

 either pregnant or nursing. 



(c.) That, in consequence of the killing of nursing ibid., p. 212. 

 females at sea, dead " pui)s" have been found in increasing 

 numbers on the Pribyloff rookeries every year since pelagic 

 sealing began in Behring Sea, and that such "pups" died 

 from starvation. 



IT IS STATED TO BE ILLEGITIMATE, IMPROPER, BAR- 

 BAROUS, AND INHUMAN. 



These allegations directed against pelagic sealing are 

 employed by the United States to support the further 

 statement — 



that pelagic sealing is an illegitimate, improper, and wasteful method Ibid., p. 297. 

 of killing, is barbarous aud inhuman, 



185 and that — 



it is wholly destructive of the seal property and of the industries and United States 

 commerce founded upon it. ^^^^' P- 2^^- 



BUT ALL THE ALLEGATIONS ON WHICH THIS DENUNCI- 

 ATION ARE BASED ARE UNTRUE, OR GREATLY EXAG- 

 GERATED. 



While it is not denied that there is or may be a measure ibid., pp. 147, 

 of truth in some of the contentions thus held by the^^^' ''^"**^"*' 

 United States, it is maintained in the light of evidence 

 collected, and more particularly as tbe result of the investi- 

 gations of the British Commissioners, that they are of a 

 greatly exaggerated character. 



EVIDENCE PRODUCED TO SHOW GREAT LOSS OF SEALS 

 BY SINKING, BEFORE THE DATE OF BRITISH COMMIS- 

 SIONERS' REPORT, WHOLLY UNTRUSTWORTHY. 



(a.) That of fur-seals Mlled at sea with fire arms at least 

 60 per cent, are lost, and that this loss occurs in two 

 ways: (1) by the seals sinMng before they can be secured^ 

 and (2) by fatally-wounded seals escaping. 



As to the first of the above contentions, which is con- 

 nected with the actual loss of seals killed at sea by sink- 

 ing after they are shot and before they can be recovered 

 by the hunters: — For some time previous to the prepara- 

 tion of the Eeport of the British Commissioners, many 

 statements as to the extraordinary proportion of seals lost 

 at sea had found currency, more ^particularly in the press 

 of the United States, whicli were again aud again pub- 

 lished as though possessed of the utmost authenticity, and 

 thej^had in consequence come to be regarded as accurate British Com- 

 by the public. It was thus natural that the British Com- port,'"paras. 82^ 

 missiouers should devote special attention to this point, ^^^' ^^** 



B S, PT VIII 11 



