ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 127 



as well as upon auy other matters conuected with the seal islands which 

 may in your judgment require it. 



I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 



Harrison G. Otis, 



Special Agent Treasury Department, in Charge of Seal Islands. 



Hon. John Sherman, 



Secretary of the Treasury. 



Special Agent Otis; preliminary report for 1880. 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. Paul Island, June 8, 1880. 



Sir: I have the honor to report my arrival at this island on the 31st 

 ultimo by the steamer St. Paul, thirty days out from San Francisco. 

 The steamer reached St. George Island on the 20th of May, finding the 

 shores of the island free from ice; but the i)resence of heavy pack ice 

 about the shores of St. Paul Island i)revented her from eft'ecting a 

 landing here till ten days later, and then only after the fourth attempt. 



The weather at the seal islands during tLe past winter is reported as 

 having been exceptionally severe, the mercury falling to 18° F. below 

 zero at this island and to 8° F. below zero at St. George. The sealing 

 season is consequently somewhat backward; it has, indeed, not fairly 

 commenced. 



Keferring to Department letter of Ai)ril 17, 1880 (H. B. J.-P.), 

 touching the matter of leaves of absence to the Treasury agents here, 

 I have the honor to report that I have communicated the directions 

 therein contained to my assistants for their information and guidance. 

 Special Agent Scribner, now on duty at this island, will avail himself 

 of the leave granted him at the close of this sealing season. Special 

 Agent Moulton remains on duty at St. George Island. It seems that 

 Special Agent Beaman (who has been transferred to St. George) had 

 some months since formed and declared a purpose to leave the islands 

 this season, for reasons of his own, either with or without authority 

 from the Department. I have informed him that I can not control his 

 movements in that nuitter, if he is determined to go, and that he must 

 be his own judge whether to take such a step without proper authority. 

 I am not advised at this writing whether he still adheres to his deter- 

 mination, since learning the recent orders of the Secretary referred to 

 above; nor can I know at this time what his purposes may be at the 

 close of the sealing season when the steamer leaves for San Francisco. 

 But in the unanticipated contingency of his carrying out his threat, I 

 will remain here myself until the arrival of another officer or until 

 further orders. 



1 otter to do this in order to meet the requirements of the Department 

 and the necessities of the case, which demand the constant presence of 

 not less than two officers of the Government at these islands at all 

 times, and notwithstanding the fact that authority heretofore given me 

 authorizes me to absent myself during the winter. 



I forward this letter at the earliest opportunity, in order to give an 

 opportunity for a reply to reach me by the steamer Bora, which it is 



