ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 195 



Seal 111111110: on the Pribilof Islands has been and is conducted on the theory out- 

 lined above, that the male seals only sliould Ije l<illed, and of these a limited number 

 whose age falls within certain narrow limits, and thiit the female should be spared 

 at all hazards. The same princi])le controls the killing ou the Commander Islands 

 and, as far as Ave know, wherever and whenever the operation has been subjected to 

 intelligent control. 



And on page 378, the bottom of the page, 



In addition to the establishment of such regulations as would practically suppress 

 l)elagic sealing, it is strongly recommended that killing on the islands be subjected 

 to somewhat more strict and competent supervision. While it is not believed that 

 any serious consequences have resulted li-om lo;iseness in this respect, the interests 

 involved are so important, and in some i"esi)ects so complicated, that too much care 

 can not be given to the selection of the i)roper persons to be intrusted with their con- 

 servation. The practice of frequent changes in the government Jigents is deplorable. 

 They should be so familiar through association and observation with the appearance 

 of the various rookeries as to be the lirst to notice any changes which m;iy take place. 

 They will thus be enabled to determine annually the number of seals which may be 

 taken with safety and from what rookeries, whether the driving is properly conducted, 

 etc., and their whole elibrts shonld be directed to the preservation of the seal herd in 

 its normal condition. 



Mr. President, all those observations I ask the Tribunal kindly to 

 bear in mind in following iny argument this morning on this particular 

 point. 



Now I propose to demonstrate this, that through a long series of years 

 in the face of warnings brought by tlieir officials upon the islands to the 

 notice of those who could control this matter, an excessive number of 

 males has been killed, that the harems instead of diminishing in size, 

 per virile bull, as the Commissioners state, I will point out to you pres- 

 ently, you would, expect them to do, and they ought to do if it is true 

 that the loss is due to the killing of females, and not to the ])artial 

 destruction of virile males; that the harems have been increasing in 

 size and number per bull and it is upon the evidence ui^ou both sides; 

 that instead of there existing upon the island the active and energetic 

 contests of the virile males striving for the possession of the females, 

 there is abundant testimony that during the last four or five years the 

 bulls upon the Pribilof Islands have been in a deteriorating, depreci- 

 ated, and partially imi)otent condition. 



Senator MoeCtAN. — Is there any testimony showing where these 

 su])erannuated bulls go after they lose their virility, Sir Kichardf 



Sir Richard Webster. — Yes, Sir, there is abundant testimony they 

 lie behind the rookeries alone, with cows ])assing by them, and paying 

 not the vslightest attention to them, nor they to the cows, and instead 

 of fighting for the cows, as they would do when they were in a virile 

 and active condition, they lie taking no notice of the cows whatever. 



Senator Morgan. — They do not come in with the holluschickie, or 

 the others. 



Sir EiCHARD Webster. — ISTo. 



Senator Morgan. — They do not haul out. 



Sir Richard Webster. — Oh, yes, they haul out. I do not think 

 you can have quite followed my point. 



Senator Morgan. — On the shore"? 



Sir Richard Webster. — Behind the rookery grounds, away from 

 the place where the females are, they lie possibly dreaming of good 

 times in the past; possibly thinking, as a member of the United States 

 staff himself observed, of the good times they had been having in the 

 past, but ijaying no attention to the invitations of the females round 

 them. 



Senator Morgan. — AVhat I want to get at is, do they herd together*? 



