Report by Professor D'Arcy Thompson on His Mission to the Behring Sea in 1896, Dated March 4, 1897. Presented . . . May 1897.

Descripción

39 pp; chart. Original wrappers. Very Good. Series: United States, No. 3 (1897). 'In 1896 and again in 1897, D'Arcy Thompson went on his own expeditions to the far north as part of an international inquiry into the fur seal industry. Russia, Canada and the USA had long hunted fur seals in the open waters of the Bering Sea, but the discovery of the seals' main breeding grounds allowed them to kill seals in vastly greater numbers. Due partly to the fame of his Arctic collections, D'Arcy was asked by the Prime Minister to represent Britain in an expedition to assess the fur seal's declining numbers. In 1896 he travelled to the American-owned Pribilof Islands and the Russian-owned Commander Islands to visit the fur seal breeding colonies. In 1897 D'Arcy returned to the islands to acquire comparative statistics, and this time took Alexander Rodger with him as official photographer. After three months they returned to Washington to present their findings. D'Arcy spoke for three hours and it is said that his diplomacy was crucial in securing the joint statement which was presented in January 1898, claiming that if the fur seal was protected on land, its numbers would be sustainable. D'Arcy also drew attention to the threat to whales and sea otters, which were being hunted in the same area' (Arctic Bound: An exhibition of photographs by Alexander Rodger and David Dickson, 1894-7, 17 June - 30 September 2011, School of Art History Reception, University of St Andrews). N° de ref. del artículo 21479

Contactar al vendedor

Denunciar este artículo

Detalles bibliográficos