ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 197 



I shall liave to call attention to the evidence about this. 



This condition of things is utterly incompatible with any theory which assumes a 

 Hcarcity of virile males. 



I quite agree. 



The evidence of the most reliahle and credible observers goes to prove the same 

 thing. Mr. Redpath and daptaiu Webster have already been qnotetl as declaring 

 that it is among leninle seals that the great scarcity exists, but it is worth while here 

 to repeat the statement of the latter, that formerly there would be on an average 

 thirty cows to one bull: now they will not average fifteen. 



I have already told the Tribunal what they will find when they come 

 to examine Mr. Webster's affidavit. 



Now, Mr. President, 1 propose to argue this as closely as I can and 

 without unnecessary repetition to show you what the evidence is upon 

 this matter, and first I will deal with it a priori. I will ask you to take 

 before you the two diagrams of the United States Commissioners on 

 which t have put the numbers, so that you may compare them side by 

 side. They are the diagrams on pages 355 and 356 of the United States 

 Case, but by looking at them side by side and having them at once 

 before you, you will observe the contrast, and it is an extreme'y impor- 

 tant matter. I will show you presently, Mr. President, the basis upon 

 which these diagrams are comj^iled involves one or two very important 

 falhicies, but for the moment 1 merely argue upon the assumption that 

 they are correct. The first one which is taken from page 352, diagram 

 A, sliows the natural condition of a herd of 40,025 male seals; and I 

 tliink the Tribunal entirely understands it — if not I will explain it in 

 two sentences. 



The number of seals is indicated by the height of the line from the 

 bottom running from 10,000, 5,000, 4,000, 3,000, and so on. It is stated 

 lierfectly correctly that the total area of the diagrams is proportionally 

 to the total number of seals in the herd. That is stated at page 353. 

 There is no dispute between the United States representatives and our- 

 selves as to what these diagrams show. The natural condition of things 

 shows 13,020 breeding bulls. The artificial state of things shows 1,080 

 breeding bulls. If you compare the yellow area in the second plan with 

 the yellow area in the other i)lan, the year sare the same 7 to 19 ; the lines 

 are proportionate and the breeding bolls are supplied from the young 

 bulls that are left and not killed or supposed not to be killed after 5 

 years — the stock for replenishing in the one case is 560 and in the other 

 case 3,500 — that is just about a seventh left and the breeding bulls 

 are 1,980 in one case and 13,620 in the other. I want to ask in the first 

 place u])on what theory such a reduction can be justified of taking 

 down the bulls which are provided by nature to replenish the stock to 

 about one-sixth of their number, because you will observe it is 1,980 on 

 what they call the jiroperly regulated killing in the new condition and 

 it is 13,020 on what they assume to be the normal conditions'? 



Now, Mr. President, you put one or two questions the other day to 

 my learned friend. Sir Charles liussell,and I think also to myself which 

 require some notice. You asked if there was any evidence in the Case 

 of other polygamous animals whether the production of male and 

 fen)ale is about equal. I may say that there is no difference with 

 regard to seal life. Both parties are agreed, as far as we can tell, the 

 births of male and female are about equal. The United States people 

 say, when they used to kill pups in the autumn for food when they had 

 the opportunity of selection, they found, if they wanted to kill 2,000, 

 they had to examine 4,000, in other \\ ords, they generally had to exam- 



