ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 171 



In 1882 tliey were there on tlie 9th of May, in 1886 they were there 

 on the 5th May, in 1888 they were there on the first of July, and it was 

 so important that Captain Lavender, one of the Agents of tlie United 

 States wrote to IMr. Elliott on the subject of the killer whales in these 

 terms on page 312. He says : 



That lie is now stationed on St. George Island as Treasury Agent and not having 

 been long enough on the island to be a competent judge as to the number of seals 

 destroyed annually by these monsters, he has asked the opinion of gentlemen who 

 have spent everj^ season for the last ten years here and the answers to all my 

 inquiries have been that this species of whale must be destroyed or tlie seiil rookeries 

 will be something of the past in a short time; they also informed me, that during 

 the month of October when the pups first take to the water they are killed by the 

 thousand and that the water along the shore of the rookeries is red with the blood 

 of young seals which fall easy victims to these monsters, having no fear of them. . . 



He closes with the following sensible recommendation: 



The next Congress should make an appropriation sufticient to furnish two whale 

 boats and crews with all the modern improvements for the killing of whales and to 

 station one boat and crew on each island during the ensuing year with orders to 

 patrol the islands daily if possible, and destroy this whale wlierever an o]iportunity 

 is afforded. These boats should be in charge of experienced whalemen Irom some 

 part of the New England states where this whale and other similar species exist in 

 large numbers, there would be no trouble in ol>taiuiug men who were well versed in 

 this kind of whaling, and it is my opinion at the end of the year it would be found 

 that killers were very scarce and would not come near the shore while their aj^xietite 

 for seal and seal-pups would be changed so mucii, tliat cod tish and other similar 

 varieties Avonld be good enough for them. I shall endeavour to write more fully on 

 this subject in the near future when I have had a little more experience on the 

 islands as I consider it one of great importance. 



That rather bears upon the question put by Lord Hannen very early 

 indeed to Mr. Carter, I think, whether any steps had been taken to 

 interfere with these killer whales. This was a recommendation by the 

 Treasury Agents suggesting that the authorities should in some way 

 interfere with killer whales and it also appears that they destroy many 

 more than they eat — that is to say they kill them, as many animals of 

 that kind do, from sheer ndscliief. The fact of the killer whale |H'eying 

 upon the seals in large numbers as mentioned in page (J2 of Mr. Elliott's 

 first report and at the Commissioners report, page 59, paragraph 334 : 



Killer whales (Orca recfipinna) are among the more active enemies of the fur-seal. 

 Mr. D. Webster, who, because of his long experience on the Pribilof Islands, has 

 already been frequently quoted, states that these whales usually come to the islands 

 from the north early in September, and stay about them as long as the seals do. 

 They kill many seals, particularly pups, and wantonly kill, apparently in sport, 

 many more than they actually devour. Captain Lavender, in his Report for 1890, 

 mentions the occurrence of large schools of killer wliales in pursuit of young seals 

 about the islands on the 30th October in that year, and Lieutenant Maynard men- 

 tions a case in which a single killer whale was found to have fourteen yonng seals 

 in its stomach. The Aleuts at Ounalaska further stated that they have oiten seen 

 killer whales pursuing and catching fur-seals, not alone the young, but also the 

 adults. 



And Mr. Bryant at page 407 says: 



When the season arrives for the young seals to enter tlie water the animals are 

 seen near the islands creating great consternation among the seals both young and 

 old. 



Senator Morgan. — Is not that an inducement for sending out excur- 

 sions to destroy killer whales, if the fur-seals are to be subject to another 

 enemy, hostes humani generis. 



Sir Richard Webster. — I do not think that bears directly upon 

 my argument, and of course I must not criticise it. You are aware of 

 the view for which I have to contend and I have argued that I am not 

 representing the hostes humani generis. 



