184 COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



British Com.The lesult of their investigation is given at some length 

 port'^paras. ■'^83, ill tti^ir Eeport, which must be consulted for details. In 

 344-346. summing up the facts, they write: 



Ibid., para. 355. The death of bo many young seals on the islands in 1891 was wholly 

 exceptional and unprecedented, and it occurred in the very season dur- 

 ing which, in accordance with the modus xnvendi, every effort was being 

 made to drive all pelagic sealers from Behring Sea. Those familiar 

 with the islands were evidently puzzled and surprised when their 

 attention was first drawn to it, and were for some time in doubt as 



to what cause it might be attributed 



The mortality was at first entirely local, and though later a certain 

 number of dead pups were found on various rookeries examined, 

 nothing of a character comparable with that on Tolstoi rookery was 

 discovered. 



SHOWN TO BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE THEORY AD- 

 VANCED IN THE UNITED STATES CASE. 



The Commissioners then show, by reference to dates in 

 detail, that the excessive mortality, when first observed, 

 had occurred at a time too eaily in the summer to be ex- 

 plained by the killing of mothers at sea ; and point out that, 

 although further deaths of young occurred at later dates, 

 there appeared every reason to believe that the whole re- 

 sulted from some one cause, which had extended from the 

 original localities, and had become more general. 

 Ibid., para. 356. The Commissioners do not regard the available evidence 

 as sufficient to enable them definitely to determine the 

 cause of the mortality in 1891, but suggest the following 



as among probable causes: 

 213 {a.) Disturbances connected with the collection of 



"drives," in which nursing females were included, 

 which animals, though eventually spared, did not succeed 

 in rejoining their young. 



(6.) Disease of an epidemic character, 

 (c.) Stampedes and over-running of the young. 

 {d.) Raids upon the rookeries specially ati'ected. 

 British Com- The circumstancc that the mortality observed in 1891 

 missionerB' Re^ ^as coufiued to St. Paul Island, and was not found on the 

 ^uteq^^^^^' neighbouring Island of St. George, is in itself sufficient to 

 indicate that it cannot be attributed to the killing of seals 

 at sea. All the witnesses cited in the United States Case 

 in respect to the mortality in this year speak of its occur- 

 rence on St. Paul Island only. 



RECURRENCE OF MORTALITY IN 1892, WHEN PRACTI- 

 CALLY NO SEALS WERE KILLED IN BEHRING SEA, 

 PROVES ABSOLUTELY THAT THE KILLING OF FEMALES 

 AT SEA CANNOT BE ACCOUNTABLE. 



Absolute confirmation of the view that the death of pups 

 in 1891, cannot be attributed to the killing of mothers at 

 sea, has been obtained from the experience of the year 

 1892. There is complete information as to the number of 

 vessels engaged in pelagic sealing in Behring Sea during 

 the season of 1892. The statements of sealers set out in 

 the Appendix, the statement of Captain Parr, the Senior 

 British Naval Officer, detailed to patrol Behring Sea, and 

 the careful watch kept by the United States ships "Mohi- 



