ORAL ARGUMENT OF HON. EDWARD J. PHELPS, 221 



made a little while ago, the original purchase price; this means that 

 the whole idea, and the whole negotiation which subsequently resulted 

 in the transfer of these islands to the United States, was started in 

 California by the party of Americans who first set out to get a contract 

 or charter or lease or something of that kind from the Kussian Com- 

 l)any to enable tliem to take the profits of this industry; and pressing 

 that home to the Russian Company, it finally ripened into a proi)ositiou 

 to cede the whole country to the United States, which was carried into 

 eiiect. Therefore the fur-seal industry was not only all that gave fcliat 

 province any value then, or has given it any value since — it was the 

 main inducement and the real origin of the entire purchase. 



[The Tribunal here adjcuirned for a short time.] 



Mr. Phelps. — I cannot help saying, sir, although it does no good to 

 say it that I know of, that 1 feel very sensibly how wearisome and 

 fatiguing the prolongation of this discussion must be to gentlemen who 

 have been so long absorbed with it, who have listened to so much, and 

 who may well be supposed to be as tired of this business as I am, and 

 it is imi)ossible that they could be more so. Still, there are facts in 

 this case that I am not at liberty to pass over; I should be glad to 

 consult the feelings of the Tribunal, and I should be glad to consult 

 my own: but I must deal with them to some extent, because they have 

 been the subject of several weeks animadversion on the other side, and 

 we do not feel that we are justified in leaving them without observation 

 and reply. 



My learned friend desires me to say, sir, or suggested to me that I 

 should say that, in the figures which I addressed to you this morning 

 just before the adjournment showing the value of this business to the 

 Russian American Company, the fur business there included all the 

 fur-bearing animals as well as fur-seals. That is quite true and I 

 cheerfully make the qualification, but it should be added that there 

 was certainly of late years very little of the furbearing industry except 

 the fur-seal, though at a very early period there were a good many 

 other animals. 



iSTow, I want very briefly, having pointed out what this industry is 

 and who it belongs to, on the part of the United States Government 

 to notice who are the parties with whom we are contending"? Who 

 are the pelagic sealers? Like so many other questions in this case, it 

 is easy to say that it is of no consequence, and i:)erhaj)S it is a minor 

 point, but it has been of sufficient importance to be j)resented with 

 considerable force and effect by my learned friend, Mr. Robinson. 

 We call this an International Arbitration; and it is an International 

 Arbitration so far as the parties to it are concerned'? What is it in its 

 object and its effect? Are we contending with Great Britain? Not at 

 all. We should have settled this in the very outset with Great Britain; 

 and the business interests of Great Britain concerned in the x)reserva- 

 tion of this seal herd. There are 10,000 people there tliat are engaged 

 in the manufacture of these furs. It is the head quarters for the sale 

 of the furs all over the world; the commerce of the country is largely 

 engaged in it. You have heard the remonstrances against the destruc- 

 tion of the seal addressed by leading men engaged in this business 

 before this controversy arose — before the United States approached 

 it. Then what is our dispute with Great Britain? When you come to 

 Canada, what quarrel have we with Canada, that great and abounding 

 Province, — perhaps the largest territory in the world under one (Jov- 

 ernment, if you take its dimensions? What have we in dis])ute really 

 with our neighbour, — the Province of Canada, with whom it is not only 



