J. PISCICULTUKE AND THE FISHERIES. 389 



SEAL-FISHERIES OF 1876 ON THE GREENLAND COAST. 



The seal-fishery off the coast of Greenland, as prosecuted 

 by vessels from Dundee, Scotland, has proved to be more re- 

 munerative during the spring of 1876 than that of the pre- 

 ceding year, elev*en vessels having taken 53,776 seals and 

 578 tuns of oil. In the preceding season twelve vessels took 

 45,295 seals, yielding 455 tuns of oil. The total value of 

 this fishery for 1876 amounted to 34,332 ; that of 1875, to 

 27,026. 



The Norwegian Greenland fisheries for the year have also 

 been very successful. One peculiar feature of the year has 

 been the number of old seals taken early in the season, show- 

 ing that the work began too soon, as the young must have 

 been very small. 



CLOSE TIME FOR SEALS IN THE NORTHERN SEA. 



Negotiations under way between the governments of Great 

 Britain and Norway in reference to the time for the capture 

 of seals on the Greenland coast have at last been consum- 

 mated by the adoption of an Order in Council fixing the 3d 

 of April in each year as the date before which no British 

 subject shall kill or capture seals within the specified area. 

 It is hoped that these restrictions, if fully carried out, will 

 soon put an end to the barbarous destruction of infant seals. 



REPORT ON ALASKA SEAL ISLANDS. 



The subject of the Alaska fur-seal fishery is one of consid- 

 erable importance in view of the revenue derived by the 

 United States from the Alaska Commercial Company for 

 the rent of the islands. Since the lease to that company 

 numerous complaints have been made from time to time of 

 its management; and in 1874 an act was passed to appoint 

 a commission to visit the North Pacific with a view of de- 

 termining whether there are other localities where the fur- 

 seal can be found, and a clause was introduced directing the 

 investigation by an ofticer of the navy into the management 

 of their trust by the Alaska Commercial Company, and their 

 treatment of the natives. 



Mr. Henry W. Elliott was put in charge of the former ob- 

 ject of the expedition, and Lieutenant Maynard was detailed 



