504 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
Mr. Tingle, in 1887, reported that the vast number of seals was on the increase, 
and that the condition of all the rookeries could not be better. 
456 In his later Report, dated the 31st July, 1888, he wrote as follows: 
“T am happy to be able to report that, although late Janding, the breeding 
rookeries are filled out to the lines of measurement heretofore made, and some of them 
much beyond those lines, showing conclusively that seal life is not being depleted, 
but is fully up to the estimate given in my Report of 1887.” 
Mr. Elliot, who is frequently appealed to as a great authority on the subject, 
aftirms that such is the natural increase of the fur-seal species that these animals, 
were they not preyed upon by killer-whales (Orca gladiator), sharks, and other sub- 
marine foes, would multiply to such an extent that ‘‘ Behring’s Sea itself could not 
contain them.” 
The Honourable Mr. Tupper has shown in his Memorandum that the destruction of 
seals caused by pelagic sealing is insignificant in comparison with that caused by their 
natural enemies; and he gives figures exhibiting the marvellous increase of seals in 
spite of the depredations complained of. Again, the destructive nature of the modes 
of killing seals by spears and fire-arms has apparently been greatly exaggerated, as 
may be seen from the affidavits of practical seal-hunters which I annex to this letter, * 
together with a confirmatory extract from a paper upon the ‘Fur Seal Fisheries of 
the Pacific Coast and Alaska,” prepared and published in San Irancisco, and designed 
for the information of Eastern United States Senators and Congressmen. 
The Canadian Government estimate the percentage of seals so wounded or killed 
and not recovered at 6 per cent. 
In view of the facts above stated, it is improbable that pending the result of the 
inquiry which I have suggested any appreciable diminution of the fur-seal species 
should take place, even if the existing conditions of pelagic sealing were to remain 
unchanged. 
But in order to quiet all apprehension on that score I would propose the following 
provisional Regulations: 
1. That pelagic sealing should be prohibited in the Belring’s Sea, the Sea of 
Ochotsk, and the adjoining waters, during the months of May and June, and the 
months of October, November, and December, which may be termed the ‘‘ migration 
periods” of the fur-seal. 
2. That all sealing-vessels should be prohibited from approaching the breeding 
islands within a radius of 10 miles. 
These Regulations would put a stop to the two practices complained of as tending 
to exterminate the species; (1) the slaughter of female seals with young during 
migration periods, ‘‘especially in the narrow passes of the Aleutian Islands; (2) the 
destruction of female seals by marauders surreptitiously landing on the breeding 
islands under cover of the dense fogs which almost continuously prevail in that 
locality during the summer. 
Mr. Taylor, another Agent of the United States Government, asserts that the 
female seals (called ‘“‘cows”) go out from the breeding islands every day for food. 
The following is an extract from his evidence. 
“Thecows go 10 and 15 miles, and even further—I do not know the average of it— 
and they are going and coming all the morning and evening. ‘The sea is black with 
them round about the islands. If there is a little fog, and they get out half-a-mile 
from shore, we cannot see a vessel 100 yardseven. ‘The vessels themselves lay around 
the islands there, where they pick up a good many seal, and there is where the kill- 
ing of cows occurs when they go ashore.” 
Whether the female seals go any distance from the islands in quest of food, and, 
if so, to what distance, are questions in dispute. But, pending their solution, the 
Regulation which I propose against the approach of sealing-vessels within 10 miles 
of the islands for the prevention of surreptitious landing practically meets Mr. Tay- 
lor’s complaint, be it well founded or not, to the fullest extent; for, owing to the 
prevalence of fogs, the risk of capture within a radius of 10 miles will keep vessels 
off at a much greater distance. 
This Regulation, if accepted by Her Majesty’s Government, would certainly mani 
fest a friendly desire on their part to co-operate with your Government and that of 
Itussia in the protection of their rookeries, and in the prevention of any violation of 
the Laws applicable thereto. 
I have the honour to inclose the draft of a Preliminary Convention which I have 
prepared, providing for the appointment of a Mixed Commission, who are to report 
on certain specitied questions within two years. 
The draft embodies the temporary Regulations above described, together with 
other clauses which appear to me necessary to give proper efiect to them. 
Although I believe that it would be sufficient during the ‘ migration 
457 periods” to prevent all sealing within a specified distance from the passes of 
*See Appendix 1 in Colonial Office letter of November 30, 1889, pp. 355-357. 
