342 ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



MODUS VIVENDI, 



You will find inclosed a copy of the modus vivendi between the United States and 

 Great Britain, which, you will see, goes into force May 1, 1892, and continues while 

 the arbitration is pending, unless otherwise provided for after October 31, 1893. 



FOREIGN AGENTS. 



Yon will observe that the modus (Art. IV) permits the landing on the islands of 

 British agents. In accordance with the international agreement, you will permit 

 such duly accredited persons to land for the purpose indicated in the modus. 



Your attention is called to the unfortunate representations made to Lord Salisbury 

 last year by the British commissioners. Their statements concerning the alleged 

 violation of the modus in the matter of seal killing were based upon their misinter- 

 pretation of the terms of the modus and their misunderstanding of the facts. Espe- 

 cial effort should be made, therefore, to present with exceeding clearness any fact 

 that you may deem necessary or proper to communicate to any British official visit- 

 ing either island. All affidavits obtained by such agents from the natives or other 

 persons on the islands must be taken in the presence of a Government officer, and 

 the foreign agents must conform to such rules of conduct concerning the rookeries 

 as are required of citizens of the United States. 



SEAL QUOTA. ' 



It is essential to the carrying out of the modus that all seals taken for their skins 

 be killed under the direction of the Government agent. No quota has therefore been 

 assigned the North American Commercial Company. As the limit to be killed for 

 all purposes during the season of 1892 is fixed by international agreement at 7,500, 

 you will so adjust the killing as to provide for a fresh-meat supply for the natives 

 throughout the season. As under the terms of the lease all skins taken will ulti- 

 mately be turned over to the North American Commercial Company, you will confer 

 with the agent of the lessees as to the kind of skins desired and request his coopera- 

 tion in selecting them. 



The number of seals to be killed on each island will be in about the proportion of 

 former years, unless, in your judgment, there should be made some modification 

 of the ratio. 



KILLING SEASON. 



The killing season will begin as soon after your arrival as in your judgment the 

 rookeries are in proper condition for driving, and the period for taking seals is left 

 entirely to your discretion, with the exception that no seals are to be taken during 

 the stagey season, which embraces the time between August 10 and Sejitember 30. 



DRIVING OF SEALS. 



As the perpetuation of seal life has always been and is now the paramount con- 

 cern of the Government, and is also of the greatest interest to all persons connected 

 with the seal industry, you will take especial care that no methods are permitted in 

 the driving, killing, or general handling of the seals which in your opinion would 

 directly or remotely be injurious to them, or in any way jeopardize, even in the 

 slightest degree, the increase of the seal herd. 



KILLING OF PUPS. 



It was the custom in former years to permit the killing in the fall of a certain num- 

 ber of young seals for the natives' food and clothing. As the skins are not now used 

 for the latter purpose, and as the carcass furnishes not more than eight pounds of 

 meat when dressed, the value of the food sui)p]y thus contributed is not commensu- 

 rate with the destructive ettect which the killing of pups has upon the seal herd. 

 No killing of pups during the coming year will therefore be permitted. 



COMPENSATION OF NATIVES FOR TAKING SKINS. 



It has been decided by the Department that the compensation to be paid to the 

 natives by the North American (Commercial Company for driving, killing, salting, 

 and curing the seal skins and loading them on board the company's steamer shall, 

 for the year ending April 30, 1893, be 50 cents for each skin accepted. 



