48 ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR CHARLES RUSSELL, q. C. M. P. 



Sir Charles Eussell, — Oh yes; the Queen's Counsel wear wigs ; 

 and sometimes people who are not counsel at all wear them. But that 

 is not a case in point. 



On page 17, Sir, they devote themselves — my friend Mr. Carter thinks 

 ]nost impertinently — to the consideration of the interests involved. 

 Well, I respectfully think it very important. In paragraph 102, deal- 

 ing with the interests on shore and the interests at sea, they say that 



the only basis of settlement wbieb is likely to be satisfactory and permanent is that 

 of mutnal concession, by means of reciprocal and e(|iuvaleiit curtailments of right, 

 in so far as may be necessary for the preservation of the fnr-seal. 



And they go on to say that 



the line of division between the shore and ocean interests is not an international 

 one. 



That I have already dealt with, because I have shown by the figures 

 which I cited in answer to the question of the learned President the 

 other day, that up to a certain point, and in certain years, the number 

 of United States sealers exceeded those of Canada, although in the later 

 years the Canadian vessels had exceeded the other. Then in dealing 

 with the question of capital involved, they say, paragraph 105: 



105. At tlie present time the actual value of the buildings, plant, and equipment 

 of the North American Commercial Couijiauy, on the Islands of St. Paul and St. 

 George, is estimated not to exceed 130,000 "dollars (20,000 1.). Adding to this a 

 further sum to cover other items of capital less directly connected with the islands 

 themselves, the entire invested capital would probably be over-stated at 200,000 

 dollars (40,000 1.) ; and it is not to be forgotten that the Companies leasing the seal 

 islands liabitually do a profitable retail trade in supplies, etc., with the natives and 

 others in addition to acquiring the seal-skins. 



Then turning to the Canadian interest: 



106. The estimated aggregate value of the British Columbian vessels employed in 

 sealing, with their equipment, as they sailed in 1891, was 359,000 dollars (72,000 1.). 

 It has been asserted that only a portion of this total, corresponding with the length 

 of the period in each year in which these vessels are actually engaged in sealiug, 

 should be taken as the capital invested. This statement is, however, as a matter of 

 fact, incorrect. The sealing- vessels are seldom used in or fitted for other em])loy- 

 ment, and nearly all of them remain laid up in harbour between the dates of the 

 closing and opening of the sealing season — that is, between October and January, 

 or February. 



107. Adding to the above amount an estimate of the value of the United States 

 sealing fleet in tbe same year, which, it has been ascertained, exceeds 250,000 dollars 

 (50,0001.), and may probably amount to 300,000 dollars (60,0001.), an aggregate 

 amount of capital of about 6.50,000 dollars (130,000 1.) is represented by the combined 

 fleets. 



The President. — Do those two paragraphs mean that there are 

 si)ecial boats built for the sealing at sea"? 



Sir Charles Eussell. — Yes. 



The President. — A s])ecial description of boats which would be 

 unfit for any other fishing? 



Sir Charles Eussell. — Yes, Sir; that is what it means. I do not 

 think it would be correct to say they could not possibly be applied to 

 some other purpose if this was i)rohibited; but they are built with that 

 object, that design. 



The President. — Perhaps you mean the small fishing boats that are 

 let down from the schooners themselves? 



Sir Charles Eussell. — Oh no; it means the schooners. 



The President. — The schooners themselves are specially built? 



Sir Charles Eussell. — They are fishing schoonors — I used the 

 word boat, but not in the small sense — fishing schooners, specially 

 adaptable for this ])articular purpose, as 1 understand, but not unfitted 

 for other kinds of fishing, or to be used in other kinds of commerce. 



