84 ARGUMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Fortunately, however, we are relieved from the arabigui- 



ties incident to the statement above made, by the facts 



i>ii.i.,p.255. disclosed in the detailed Table and analysis of skins 



Page 77. 100 sold, Contained in the Appendix to the British 



Counter-Case. Every skin there included has been 



measured with accuracy, and the Table includes practically 



every seal killed for market on the Pribyloff Islands from 



1873 to 18913 (both inclusive). The subsidiary question of 



Aveight, and the doubt as to place of weighing and charac- 



Co^nttor^case'' ^^^ ^^ *^^"* wheu Weighed, may, therefore, be dismissed. 



p. 257. ' The almost continuous decrease in sizes is the maiu point 



in question. 

 Jj^DUert states Still further, in the statement made on the part of the 



^omi cr - ase, Uj^j^y^^j Statcs, the average weight of skins is taken. This 

 is little clue to the nature of the killing generally, for 

 whereas in the earlier years a sufticient number of skins of 

 medium weight (which are those of greatest value) may 

 have been available, in later years the average may (lack- 

 ing these) have been made up of extra large and extra 

 small skins. 



The denial of the United States as to the reduction in 

 standard weights of skins is therefore shown to rest on 

 unsound and incorrect evidences. JVIore than this, it is 

 "wholly disproved by the disclosures of the detailed Tables 

 last referred to. 



Mr. Webster's evidence, with other evidence, is quoted 

 by the British Commissioners (para. 677) in supi)ort of the 

 statements of natives detailed in a preceding paragraph, 

 respecting the decreasing number of seals taken at North- 

 east Point. An attempt is made on the part of the United 

 States to traverse Webster's evidence alone. But on refer- 

 ring to the paragraph of the Commissioners' lieport here 

 cited, it will be found that the statement made in the 

 Counter-Case of the United States is erroneous. Both Mr. 

 Webster and Mr. Fowler are quoted as authorities for the 

 figures given by the British Commissioners. Further, on 

 referring to the Table specially compiled to rebut this evi- 

 dence, and printed in the Appendix to the United States 

 Counter Case, it will be found that both these gentlemen 

 are fully justified in the statements made by them to the 

 Commissioners. It is to be presumed that both spoke from 

 memory, and not by the book, and precision to units is 

 therefore not to be looked for. Webster said that in 1874 

 and 1875, 35,000 to 30,000 skins were taken each year at 

 Korth-east Point. The Table shows in these two years 

 respectively 31,520 and 35,113 skins. Fowler said 

 101 that 29,000 and 18,000 skins were taken at North- 

 east Point in 1879 and several succeeding years. 

 The Table shows: 1879,29,174; 1880,25,862; 1881,17,952; 

 1882, 23,303 skins. 

 Page 78. The Commissioners further give the skins taken in 1889 



and 1890 as 15,076* and 5,007 respectively, classing these 



* In a Table printed in tlie Appendix to the United States Counter- 

 Case (p. i'22), the number of seals killed here in 1889 is given as 28,794. 

 The diHereiice between this statement and the official statement 

 quoted bj^ the British Commissioners is not explained. 



