304 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



of the British Government, I should have taken that view, for I regard 

 the modus vivendi justly subject to that interpretation. 



It is a fact that when the lessees kill seals for commercial purposes 

 the natives are kept very busy and have no time to prepare the meat 

 for future use, and only such part of it is used for food as the women 

 cut off from the carcasses on the held from day to day for present use. 

 This was the case with the 4,471 seals killed between June 15 and July 2, 

 the greater number of which were killed in the first five days after the 

 15th, and no attempt was made to save anj?- part of the meat for food 

 except a few that were killed at intervals between June 20 and July 2. 

 It will be remembered that after deducting 4,471 seals killed by the 

 lessees as part of their quota there would be left but 3,029 seals for 

 "the subsistence and care of the natives" from July 2 until May next. 

 I found it necessary to kill 1,796 of this latter number prior to August 

 11. A portion of the meat was salted by the natives, to be used during 

 the stagy season, when they were not allowed to kill seals. This left 

 but 1,233 seals to be killed for their subsistence until May next, a num- 

 ber much too small for that purpose, and I was compelled to ask the 

 North American Commercial Company to bring salt beef to the islands 

 for issue to the natives, the cost of which the Government will have to 

 pay, for the natives have not money enough of their own to maintain 

 themselves until May next. 



Eespectfully, yours, Wm. H. Williams, 



Agent in charge of Seal Islands. 



Hon. Charles Foster, 



Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. G. 



Steamship Danube, 

 St. Paul, July 30, 1891. 



Dear Sir : With reference to our conversation of the 28th instant, relative to the 

 limitation of the number of seals to be killed under the agreement come to by the 

 Governments of the United States and Great Britain, we think yon may be glad to 

 receive this expression of our opinion, based upon the information in our possession, 

 that the intention of the two Governments, as conveyed by Article II of the modus 

 vivendi, was that on the part of the United States the stipulation would be strictly 

 observed to limit the catch this season to 7,500 seals, and to stop the killing when 

 that number had been taken. 



As you were good enough to invite our opinion on the above subject, we venture 

 to place it in your hands, although the question is apart from the immediate scope 

 of our inquiry. 



We remain, dear sir, yours, very faithfully. 



Maj. W. H. Williams, etc. 



George Baden Powell. 

 George M. Dawson. 



1892. 



Special Agent Williams; Annual Report, 1892. 



Treasury Department, 



Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, D. C, December SI, 1892. 



Sir: I have the honor to submit my annual report as Treasury agent 

 in charge of the seal islands for the year ending December 31, 1892. 



On my return from the seal islands, in September, 1891, and after 

 the comj)letiou of my report for that year, you directed me to report 



