ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR CHARLES RUSSELL, Q. C. M. P. 15 



of fur-seals, says, in the beginning of that paragraph. "Strange 

 ignorance of their value in 18G7," This, you see, is a Eeport made to 

 the Government of the U. S., and recorded in 1881 among the United 

 States Papers. 



Cousidering that this return (that accruing from the fur-seal industry) is the only 

 one made to the Goveninient by Alaska, since its transfer, and that it was never taken 

 into account, at first, hij the most ardent advocates of the purchase of Bussian America, it 

 is in itself highly creditable, 



and so on; and then he refers to Mr. Sninner, and thus conchides: 



Therefore, when, in summing all this up, he makes no reference Avhatever to the 

 seal islands, or the fur-seal itself, the extraordinary ignorance at home and abroad 

 relative to the Pribilof Islands can be well appreciated. 



He is not accurate in saying that Mr. Sumner makes no reference to 

 the furseal; he does, and 1 have read the passage in which Mr. Sumner 

 makes reference to it, but as a matter of comparatively not much 

 importance. 



Mr. Phelps. — As you refer to Mr. Sumner, have you any objection 

 to read the paragraph in his speech at the top of page 81? 



Sir Charles Kussell. — It is a very long speech, and it would 

 probably induce me to read some other passages also; but I will do it 

 with pleasure. Do you mean the passage which begins — 



The seal, amphibious, polygamous, and intelligent as the beaver, has always sup- 

 plied the largest multitude of furs to the Russian Company? 



Mr. Phelps.— Yes; that is the passage. 



Sir Charles Russell. — I will read it, if you like, although it is 

 giving an importance to the point which I did not intend to attribute it. 



Among the furs most abundant in this commerce are those of the fox in its dif- 

 ferent species, and under its different names. 



And then he deals with that, and says some of its furs are among the 

 most precious; and he describes the various kinds. In the next para- 

 graph he says, 



Among the animals whose furs are less regarded are the wolverine — 



And then he goes on, 



Among inferior furs I may include that very respectable animal, the black bear, 



and so on. 



Then he talks of the beaver, "amphibious and intelligent", 

 738 which has a considerable x)lace in comiderce, and also a notoriety 

 of its own, and so on. And in the next paragraph. 



The marten is, perhaps, the most popular of all the fur-bearing animals that belong 

 to our new possessions. 



And then he goes on : 



The seal, amphibious, polygamous, and intelligent as the beaver, has always sup- 

 plied the largest multitude of furs to the Russian Company. The early navigators 

 describe its appearance and numbers. Cook encountered tliem constantly. Excel- 

 lent swimmers, ready divers, they seek rocks and recesses for repose, where, though 

 watchful and never sleeping long witbou t moving, they become the prey of the hunter. 

 Early in the century there was a wasteful destruction of them. Young and old, 

 male and female, were indiscriminately knocked on the head for the sake of their 

 skins. Sir George Simpson, who saw this improvidence with an experienced eye, 

 says that it Avas hurtful in two ways: first, the race was almost exterminated; and 

 secondly, the market was glutted sometimes with as many as 200,000 a year, so that 

 prices did not pay the expense of carriage. The Russians were led to adoi)t the 

 plan of the Hudson Bay Company, killing only a limited number of males who had 

 attained their full growth, which can be done easily, from the known and systematic 

 habits of the animal. Under this economy seals have multiplied again, vastly 

 increasing the supply. 



