ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 301 



was signed, viz, June 15, 1891. Article 2, affecting the interests of the 

 United States, provides that seals in excess of 7,500 shall not be killed 

 for the same period as that stated in article 1. The articles cited are 

 mutually binding, and I assume it will not be claimed that their pro- 

 visions were to take eifect on one date in the interest of British sealers 

 and on another date in the interest of the United States. 

 Eesj)ectfully, yours, 



Wm. H. Williams, 

 Treasury Agent in Charge of Seal Islands. 



Hon. Chaeles Foster, 



Secretary of the Treasury. 



Special Agent Williams; Number of Seals talcen, 1891. 



Washing-ton, October 8, 1891. 



Sir: Keferring to our conversation of the 6th instant relating to my 

 report of September 7, in regard to seals killed upon the islands of 

 St. George and St. Paul during the past year, I have the honor to 

 submit further upon the subject the following: 



The lessees were prohibited from killing seals for the season of 1890 

 after July 20. The first killing, for food, after that date was made 

 by the natives July 28, and from that time to December 31, 1890, 

 there were killed, for food, by the natives 2,750 seals; the skins of 106 

 were small and stagey and were given to the natives, the remaining 

 2,644 (1,231 of which were stagey) were placed in the salt houses by the 

 Government agents. 



From January 1 to May 1, 1891, no seals were on the islands, hence 

 none were taken. 



From May 1 to June 10, 1891, the latter being the date of my arrival 

 at the islands, there were 1,651 seals killed by the natives, for food, the 

 skins of which were placed in the salt houses by the Government agents, 

 making a total of 4,295 seals killed by the natives, for food, the skins of 

 Avhich were in the salt houses on my arrival at the islands. The fore- 

 going number includes about 50 skins, mostly rejected, from former 

 years' catch,' and 147 skins taken from cow seals killed by raiders on 

 the islands in September, 1890, who were driven oil" before they had 

 secured their plunder, but does not include 3,468 small pup seals killed 

 by the natives in November and December of last year, the skins of 

 which were used by them for clothing and other purposes. 



On the morning of June 11, 1891, I gave permission to the lessees to 

 commence killing on a quota of 7,500, as directed in Department tele- 

 gram of May 27, and which is as follows : 



The i?tt8A will receive orders to sail to-day; yoa and the other agents will take 

 passage on her. The Corivin will follow in a flew days. By her will be forwarded 

 to you full iustrnctions. The memorandum copy of proposed instructions which 

 you now have will be your guide until Convin arrives; maximum number is yet to 

 be determined, and other modifications are probable. If 7,500 are taken before 

 Coruin arrives you will stop killing and await instructions. See that the other 

 agents take passage with you. 



From June 11 to June 15, 2,920 seals were killed by the lessees as a 

 part of their quota of 7,500, making 4,295 seals killed for food, by the 

 natives, and 2,920 seals killed by the lessees as a part of their quota, 

 or a total of 7,215 seals killed prior to June 15, 1891, the skins of which 



