ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 527 



It is admitted tliat seals have come from the Pribilof Islands down 

 to Amchitka. That will ht a distance, ronji'hly, of between 500 or 600 

 miles. The distance from the nearest of the Pribilof Islands to the 

 Aleutian Islands is 182 miles. It is put by some witnesses as 200 miles; 

 but I will take the smallest distance, 182. From the Pribilofifs to 

 Amchitka you will see, roughly, is a little more than double that dis- 

 tance; that would be between 400 and 500 miles however, the seals are 

 sujiposed to have come aud probably have come. Of course, if the 

 seals have crossed over the 30 miles, so much then of intermingling is 

 proved at once; but the seals are supposed to have come from the 

 Commander Islands down, oO miles east of Semichi. As far as I can 

 judge by my eye, that agaiu would be about 250 miles, I should say — 

 perhaps rather more, 300. I will show presently that seals have also 

 been found right up into Behring Sea near Behring Straits. We know 

 they have been found all along these Aleutian Islands from time to 

 time, and I will also remind you they have been found sj)read out 

 across these seas. Xow I want to ask you upon what reasoning — upon 

 what line of thought is it to be suggested that having gone the 500 

 miles — having gone the distance which would indicate that they are 

 roving about — they do not pass over the 140 miles'? What magic is 

 there in that 140 miles, it being the strongest corroboration of the 

 fact which is sworn to by upwards of 30 independent witnesses, that 

 the skins are, in fact, found identical in the two consignments, and also 

 seem to partake to a great extent of one character and to a great 

 extent of the other. Upon this, let me simply mention a subject which 

 I do not wish to elaborate at length, for reasons which the Tribunal 

 will, I am sure, appreciate. 



Mr. Phelps, — I beg my friend's pardon, for interrupting him, but I 

 think, if he will kindly read the evidence of this witness which he is 

 quoting he Avill perceive that he has not understood him quite correctly. 



General Foster. — The first paragraph — that is all. 



Sir EiCHARD Webster. — I will read the whole of it. He says : 



I am a hunter of the sea otter and bine fox and have lived in this vicinity all my 

 life. I hunt about Attn, Semichi Islands. Have never hunted uor killed a fur-seal. 

 Fur seals do not regularly frequent these regions and I have seen none but a few- 

 scattering ones in twenty years. Thirty years ago, when the Russians controlled 

 tliese islands, I used to see a few medium sized fur seals, on in the summer, generally 

 in June, travelling to the north, I think; for the Commander Islands. 



Now, observe that: from the Amchitka Island down to the north- 

 west, — that is, going away over the very branch of the sea in question, 

 if his opinion is right, — from that Island down away to the north-west, 

 I think, to the Commander Islands. 



Then he goes on to say: 



The farthest east I have ever observed them was about 30 miles east of the Semi- 

 chi Islands; do not think those going to the Commander Islands ever go farther east 

 than that. Those jnost seen in former times were generally feeding and sleeping 

 about the kelp patches between Attu and Agattu, and the Semichi Islands, where 

 the mackerel abounds. 



We know the mackerel are about the most fleeting fish there are. 

 Then he says : 



They decreased in numbers constantly, and now are only seen on very rare 

 occasions. 



Whether I misrepresented — I am sure my friend does not mean to 

 say I misrepresented — whether I misappreciated that evidence, I will 

 leave the minds of the Tribunal to judge. 



