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



marked way when the animals remain at sea. The same circumstances has further 

 some bearinjj on the question of the possible excursions of the seals I'rom the breed- 

 ing islands, and on the interchan<;eability of tlie seals remaining on or about the 

 islands with those of the general sea-surface, which thus seems to be exceptional, 

 during at least the later summer and early autumn, which is the "stagey" season 

 ashore. 



Mr. President, the pelagic sealing lias extended right away through 

 the months of August and September, and up till the year 1892, no sug- 

 gestion has ever been made that skins iu a "stagey" condition form 

 part of the pelagic catch. 



JSTow I wish to give you what is the United States evidence in sup- 

 port of the theory that " stagey" skins may be found at sea- Will the 

 members of the Tribunal be good enough to take tlie Counter Case of 

 the United States before them and turn, first, to page 112. There will 

 be found a trade report incorrectly called a catalogue. The niimber of 

 skins are too small to make this document of any use. They might be 

 raided skins. 



I am not sure that this is ever actually referred to in the United 

 States Counter Case itself. If it is, I will supply the reference, but this 

 is the only evidence. 



Title page of a London Catalogue of Fur-Seal skins. C. M. Lampson 

 AND Co. 



Those you know, are the agents of the lessees. 



London, Slat March, 1892. 



At the Sales of Salted Fur-Seal Skins 



THIS DAY 



C. M. Lampson and Co. 



Skins. 



632. N. W. Coast, etc., part stagy (low) \ Sold the same as 



472. Cape Horn S in January last. 



Goad, Rigg and Co. 



1, 519. N. W. Coast, part stagy (low) ) Sold the same as 



1,969. Cape Good Hope \ in January last. 



Kow at page 357 of the same book, is the evidence of Mr. Charles 

 J. Behlow. He has made a number of affidavits. I shall have to say 

 in connection with another matter — I will not pause to prove it now — 

 that Mr. Behlow's testimony is open to very serious criticism with 

 regard to his accuracy. This affidavit is made in i^^ovember 1892. He 

 says: 



I hud that all fur-seals taken both in Behring Sea and on the islands therein, from 

 about the 10th of August until the end of October, are what is known to the trade 

 as stagey, meaning the animal is changing its coat, during which period its skin is 

 very inferior in quality; iu fact, almost unmerchantable. 



Now on page 376 of the same volume, will be found the affidavit of 

 Mr. Walter E. Martin made in November 1892. These are made in 

 connection with the Counter Case. He says: 



I have, as therein stated, handled large numbers of fur-seal skins of all kinds, 

 including Northwest Coast skins, or those of animals taken in the water, and I know 

 from personal experience that a certain number of " stagey" skins are always found 

 amongst them. Whether or no skins taken in the water are " stagey " will depend on 

 the month in which they are taken. The staginess does not begin until after the 

 middle of August, and as most of the skins secured before the seals enter Behring 

 Sea are taken previous to that date the percentage of "stagey" skins amongst this 

 class is insignificant. But among the skins taken iu Behring Sea after August 15th 

 will always be found a certain jiercent of stagey ones. 



