148" ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



progress made is perceptible, tliougli not rapid. As heretofore, on 

 St. Paul a Eussian school has been kept by a subpriest (under a con- 

 cession formerly made) during most of the same period, about three 

 hours a day, five days a week, church holidays excepted. These holi- 

 days are very frequent, amounting to some thirty-three during the last 

 school term, and interfere seriously with the regularity of the school 

 attendance. On this account I made the rule that, without encroach- 

 ing upon regular church holidays or customs, the English school hours 

 should either be increased or the term extended so as to make itecpuva- 

 lent to not less than two hundred actual school days of not less than 

 three hours each. 



THE OIL FUND. 



The fund of $557.02, being balance of the amount of the tax on seal 

 oil still due from the Alaska Commercial Company for oil manufactured 

 by them in 1878 and 1879, has not been expended in the construction 

 of waterworks for the common benefit of the native people of St. Paul 

 village, as authorized by Department letter of April 8, 1880, for the 

 reason that the sum is of itself wholly iusufticient for the purpose. The 

 Department's instruction to me to use the fund for that object was, as 

 I understood the matter, given upon the condition and with the under- 

 standing that the Alaska Commercial Company would supply the 

 remainder of the funds needed for the work. As this has not been 

 done, I have considered it inexpedient to commence the work. It is 

 estimated by the company, I learn, that it will require between $3,000 

 and $4,000 to put in complete waterworks. No improvement that 

 could be made here would be of so great convenience to the people as 

 this. 



QUOTAS OF THE ISLANDS. 



The people of St. George request that the quota of seal skins now 

 permitted to be taken on that island be increased from 20,000 to 22,000 

 in 1882. They desire to swell their earnings so that they may be able 

 to support a local priest, which they have not heretofore done. At 

 present the earnings of the native sealers there are less per man by 

 about $80 than are the earnings of the St. Panl sealers, and the former 

 have the harder work to perform. For these reasons, and also because 

 I am satisfied that 22,000 skins may now be taken upon St. George 

 without endangering the perpetuity of the seal life, I recommend that 

 the above request be granted for one year, and that a corresponding 

 reduction be made in the quota of St. Paul for 1882. 



By authority of Department letter (J. G. H.), dated March 30, 1880, 

 I have approved vouchers in favor of the Alaska Commercial Company 

 amounting to $247.95, for materials furnished and work done in paint- 

 ing and repairing the Government buildings on these islands. The 

 allowance of $250 authorized by Department letter (H. G. J.-H. B. J.), 

 dated November 9, 1880, is as yet untouched. 



Assistant Treasury Agents J. H. Moulton and George Wardman will 

 continue on duty at St. Paul and St. George islands, respectively, till 

 further orders. The last-named ofiicer, who had desired a leave of 

 absence this season, remains in consequence of the departure of Assist- 

 ant Treasury Agent W. B. Taylor, who has left his station without 

 authority. 



Having complied with the requirements of the Department by leav- 

 ing an ofiQcer in charge of each island during the coming winter, I will 

 return to California under the authority in my possession. 



