The Wasp — 1889 — page 362: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1889 political cartoon satirizes international disputes over seal hunting in the Bering Sea. Two armed sailors (likely representing the U.S. and Britain) stand guard over a seal, which declares it doesn't need their "protection"—implying the dispute benefits politicians more than the animal. The cartoon references real tensions over seal hunting rights in Bering Sea waters off Alaska. The U.S. and Britain clashed over access to the lucrative seal fishery. The seal's dismissive "Yawp!" suggests the cartoon mocks both nations' self-righteous claims of conservation while actually fighting over commercial interests and territorial control. The satire critiques how politicians weaponized environmental concern to advance imperial and economic agendas.