COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 191 



THOUGH OTHERWISE STATED IN UNITED STATES CASE. 



The fact.s above alluded to are, however, directly in con- . 

 tradictiou of the statement found in the Case of the United case,p!iic.*'**'^* 

 States, to the effect that fish are very scarce in the waters 

 in the vicinity of the breeding-islands. This in effect is 

 merely an unsupported and hypothetical assumption, and 

 it is difficult to determine whether it is the basis of the 

 further statement as to excursions of seals to great dis- 

 tances to feed, or is consequent ou that statement. 



THERE IS THEREFORE NO REASON TO SUPPOSE THAT 

 SEALS, IP LOOKING FOR FOOD, SHOULD GO TO GREAT 

 DISTANCES. 



With the facts in evidence, it is quite unreasonable to 

 suppose that female or other seals seeking food go to great 

 distances in this quest, while ample supplies might be 

 obtained by them without this effort. 



It is submitted from the facts contained in the foregoiug 

 chapter that it is established that any abnormal death of 

 pups on the islands is not due to i)elagic sealing; and that 

 pelagic sealing is not an illegitimate, impro^jer, or wasteful 

 method of killing seals. 



That the contention in the United States Case that 

 pelagic sealing is wholly destructive of the seal property, 

 is without foundation; and that it is a legitimate develop- 

 ment of the original method of takiug seals practised by 

 the Indians and other inhabitants of the coasts of America. 



That the allegations respecting its injurious effect upon 

 seal life are greatly exaggerated, and that any incident 

 connected therewith, proved to be harmful, can be effect- 

 ively dealt with by a scheme of general regulations. 



