The inferiority of our merchant marine is justly
humiliating to the national pride. The Government by every proper
constitutional means, should aid in making our ships familiar visitors
at every commercial port of the world, thus opening up new and valuable
markets to the surplus products of the farm and the factory.
The efforts which had been made during the two previous years by my
predecessor to secure better protection to the fur seals in the North
Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, were renewed at an early date by this
Administration, and have been pursued with earnestness. Upon my
invitation, the Governments of Japan and Russia sent delegates to
Washington, and an international conference was held during the months
of October and November last, wherein it was unanimously agreed that
under the existing regulations this species of useful animals was
threatened with extinction, and that an international agreement of all
the interested powers was necessary for their adequate protection.
The Government of Great Britain did not see proper to be represented at
this conference, but subsequently sent to Washington, as delegates, the
expert commissioners of Great Britain and Canada who had, during the
past two years, visited the Pribilof Islands, and who met in conference
similar commissioners on the part of the United States.
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