Reports of Special Agents WilUanis, Murray, Lavender, and J. iStanley- 

 Brownfor 1891 and 1892, reprinted from Senate Ex. Doc. 107, Fifty - 

 second Congress, second session. 



1891. 

 letter of instruction to 8pecial agent willtam8. 



May 27, 1891. 



Sir: Having been appointed as Treasury agent in charge at the seal 

 islands, you are instructed to secure by personal application at the 

 Department and from other sources, and in such manner as you may 

 deem proper, as full information as is practicable on the subject of your 

 duties. 



You are required to leave Washington in time to reach San Fran- 

 cisco, to proceed on the United States revenue cutter Rush, which has 

 orders to sail on the 27th of May for the islands of St. Paul and St. 

 George. Mr. Nettleton, one of the Treasury agents for the islands, 

 came down last fall after the season's work was over, and will return 

 with you on the cutter. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Xettleton, 

 who goes to teach the school upon the island where her husband may 

 be stationed. 



Upon arriving at the island, you will at once assume charge of the 

 interests and property of the Government, and see to it that your 

 authority is respected in all quarters. 



You will place Mr. Murray in charge at St. George, and send one of 

 the agents to aid him., the other remaining to assist you. In no event 

 should either of the islands be left without a Treasury agent upon them. 



It will be your duty to see that the lessees of the islands are per- 

 mitted to take the quota of skins allowed them for the present year if 

 male seal of the proper size come upon the rookeries in sufficient num- 

 bers to enable them to do so without causing permanent injury to the 

 herds, and to secure to the natives all the comforts and privileges to 

 which they are entitled under the provisions of the lease. The per- 

 petuation of seal life is the paramount interest of the Government and 

 of all concerned. 



The catch to be taken during the season of 1891 is hereby fixed at 

 G0,000, and the standard or minimum weight of skin is placed at 5 

 pounds. 



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

 judgment the rookeries are in the proper condition for driving, and the 

 time for taking seal is left entirely to your discretion, with the exception 

 that no seal are to be taken during the stagey period, which is under- 

 stood to embrace the time between the 10th of August and the 30th of 

 September. You should, however, have no difficulty in determining 

 this, as the natives are well informed as to the peculiarities of seal life; 



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