130 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



these islands, and in view of the great value of tliis peculiar interest 

 ot the Government and the people concerned, a wise provision would 

 seem to dictate the adoption of the most careful and effective measures 

 looking to the permanent preservation of the fur-seal life in all its 

 abundance indetinitely. 



Not to speak of the heavy mortality caused among the younger seals 

 by their natural enemies in the sea, the destruction by man of the larger 

 seals for the sake of their skins while on their annual journeys north- 

 ward to the seal islands has latterly grown to be very considerable. 

 Several vessels are said to be engaged in this business along the island 

 and mainland shores to the eastward and southward. 1 liave been 

 reliably informed that the number of fur-seal skins taken in the Straits 

 of Fuca and adjacant waters last year was several thousands, and that 

 under tiie stinudus of the present high j)rices of furs it will pretty cer- 

 tainly reach 10,000 or 12,000 this year. A large proportion of the seals 

 so killed are said to be pregnant females. This is "kdling the goose 

 that lays the golden egg." 



I have thus stated these facts to you impartially, and submit the 

 information for your consideration and such action as in your judgment 

 the nature of the case may require. I am not able to And on record in 

 this oflhce any s[)ecitic Department rules or decisions applicable to the 

 points *here raised, and respectfully ask for instructions upon the fol- 

 lowing points particularly: 



(1) Is not the ownership in nil the fur seals which haul out upon the 

 land at the seal islands of Alaska (a Government reservation by law) 

 vested in the United states? 



(2) Are the skins of young fur seals, or " pups," so called, which may 

 by law be killed by the native people " for their own food," the property 

 of such people when not required or used "for their own clothing?" 



(3) Or are such skins the property of the United States? 



(4) If it be decided that snch skins are the ])roperty of the native 

 people, shall they have the right of free trade in them, either in the 

 form of manufactured clothing, blankets, or as dressed or undressed 

 pelts? 



(5) Shall the restrictions heretofore placed upon the shipment of such 

 skins be maintained and enforced? 



(6) Is the Alaska Commercial Company to be treated as having any 

 exclusive permit to trade as well as to take seal skins? 



It is proper for me to explain that perhaps not more than 50 or 60 

 per cent of these pup seal skins taken are preserved and dressed, thus 

 showing that the people are careless and improvident of them. This 

 considerable waste would necessarily be increased if the people should 

 be deprived entirely of a market for their skins, unless the United 

 States were to sissert an ownership in and take possession of the skins. 

 They afford some revenue, and it would be wiser to let the people have 

 it than to destroy it altogether by cutting off' the market or throwing 

 away the skins. I ask your instructions upon the whole subject. 



The work of sealing is ])r(>gressing satisfactorily. About 4:3,000 skins 

 have been taken up to this date on St. Paul Island and a proportionate 

 number on St. George. The catch is but slightly below last year's 

 figures at this date. 



Rumors of intended raids by predatory vessels upon the seal islands 

 have reached my ears from various sources. How much truth there 

 may be in these rumors I know not, but it is well known that there 

 are a number of lawless traders, acquainted with these waters and 



