302 ORAL ARGUMENT OF HON. EDWARD J. PHELPS. 



of the coast catch was taken he/ore the 1st May, and 72 per cent during 

 the months of iMay and June. Now if you a|>]>ly those hjiures to the 

 total catch of the Canadian fleet for 1892 wliicli was 30,553 — if you 

 ap])ly the same ratio to the other vessels that their logs shows to be 

 applicable to this, we have, from January to A ])ril inclusive, 8,555 seals; 

 and in the months of May and June, 21,998. If you were to apply 

 that to the four years, why, you get just about the same hgares. 



This, Sir, I am afraid, is as far as I can go to-day. I am sorry that 

 I have not been able to fulfil my promise to get through to-day: but I 

 am not through, and I have to ask the indulgence of the Tribunal for 

 a little while to-morrow, if it would suit the convenience of the Arbi- 

 trators; I hope not to l)e very long; I should rather finish this week, 

 and I presume you would, but I am, of course, in the hands of the 

 Arbitrators in every respect. 



I was about to remark that the ui)shot of all these figures and dia- 

 grams and this multitude of evidence is to show, first, that the months 

 of jMay and June are the principal, the largest, months for the catch 

 on the coast to the extent of almost 75 ]>er cent — 72 per cent at 

 any rate; and tliat the vessels do not enter the Behring Sea until the 

 1st of July, the very time when the close time that is proposed by my 

 learned friends on the other side would allow them to enter; so that 

 the proposed close time would not keep them out at all. Of cours»j, it 

 does not interfere with the catch ou the coast, and it does not interfere 

 Avith the catch in Behring Sea. 



I want to consider the subject a little further (and especially the 

 question of zone), to-morrow, and some few other iioints in respect to 

 the sealing in Behring Sea. I have very little, if anything, more to say 

 on the subject of the catch in the Pacific Ocean; and I think it will 

 become very ai)i>arent when we get through, what area must be 

 covered by the Keguhttions if you are going to save the seal — what 

 area must be covered and what time must be covered to answer the 

 purpose. 



The Pkesiden'I'. — Mr. IMielps, we do not want to preclude you from 

 finishing this week, as you have just told us it is your wish; so, we 

 intend sitting to-morrow, but we would sit only tomorrow afternoon. 



Mr. Phelps. — That will be quite enough for my purpose. 



The President. — If it agrees with your arrangements, Mr. Phelps, 

 we would meet to-morrow at 2 o'clock. 



Mr. Phelps. — Yes. Tht- Tribunal, of course, will understand I am 

 quite in their hands in respect of the time. All rimes will be agree- 

 able to me, that are convenient to the Tribunal; and if 2 o'clock 

 to-morrow afternoon would be convenient, it would suit me. 

 " The President. — We are somewhat in your hands also. 



Mr. Phelps. — I beg you will not consider it so, Sir; I only regret 

 that I have been so long. 



The President. — I mean to say, it would be useless to meet 

 to morrow and to have this extra and shorter meeting, if you did not 

 think you could conveniently say all you wanted to say tomorrow. 



Mr. Phelps. — I shall finish tomorrow, Sir. 



The President. — Then, if you please, we will adjourn till to-morrow 

 afternoon at 2 o'clock; we cannot sit before that time. 



[The Tribunal thereupon adjourned until Saturday afternoon, the 

 Sth of July, at 2 o'clock.] 



