AEGUMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. 101 



of similar accuracy had heretofore been offered on the sub- 

 ject under discussion. If any doubt remained, in view of 

 this Table, as to the small percentage of seals actually lost, 

 it is entirely removed by the still more extended Table of 

 the same kind printed in the Appendix of the British teJ^Case^'Appen- 

 Counter-Case. fs'e^"^' "' ^^' 



It is here further stated in the United States Counter- ' ' 

 Case that — 



the Table entitled "White Hunters" is averaged, while the Table 

 entitled "Indian Hunters" is not, for the obvious reason that these 

 Indians appear to have lost twice as many seals as the tvhifes, which is 

 in direct contradiction of the statements quoted in the Report, &c. 



The suggestion as to the reason why the Table entitled 

 " Indian Hunters " is not averaged is wholly incorrect. In 

 the first place, it includes but 380 seals in all, being a num- 

 ber too small to afford an average of much value; wliile, of 

 this number, 184 (taken by three witnesses) are stated to 

 have been secured without any loss. But as a matter of 

 fact, if a correct percentage be struck from this small 

 Table, it will be found that in taking 389 seals not more 

 than 14, or 3.6 per cent., were lost by sinking. The state- 

 ment made in the United States Counter-Case that these 

 Indians lost 8 out of every 100 has evidently been arrived 

 at by adding together the few percentages that are given 

 and dividing the total by the number of hunters, a method 

 clearly erroneous. 



Building upon this error, it is next attempted to show, 

 that if Indians lose 8 (3.6) per cent, of the seals they kill, 

 the white hunters lose five limes as majiy, or 40 per cent, 

 of the seals they kill. In support of this Captains Warren, 

 Petit, and others, who say that Indians lose less than 1 per 

 cent, while white hunters lose about 5 per cent., are quoted; 

 but on referring to the affidavits made l)y these gentlemen, British Case, 

 it will be seen that the loss by Indians mentioned by them, [^''^'Tu^,-, j j"'" |i 

 refers to seals killed with the spear, and such losses are not states No. 2 

 properly comparable with those resulting from the use of Brf,i^'h (?„\„^^3: 

 the gun. The Table of losses by Indians presented by the signers' Keport, 

 British Commissioners shows their loss when using gjiQ^. ^pp*'^*1'^-p-22i. 

 guns. 



Attention is then called by the United States, on the I'ageaz. 

 next p;)g'e of their Counter-Case, to the circumstance 

 that it is not definitely stated in each case by the British 

 Commissioners whether the seals lost are those lost 

 124 by sinking betbre recovery, when killed, or whether 

 such as may have escaped after having been wounded 

 are included. The available data were unfortunately not 

 sufficient to determine this with accuracy in all cases, but 

 in view of the statement advanced in the Case of the united states 

 United States, to the eflect that (i6 per cent, of all seals Case, p. loe. 

 killed are lost by sinking before recovery, the element of 

 uncertainty thus introduced it too minute to be of impor- 

 tance. As it stands, the Table is sufficient to show that 

 the statement made on this subject in the case of the 

 United States is wholly incorrect. 



In later statements of sealers care has, however, been Bntiah coua- 

 taken to separate the two sonrces of loss above allnded to, tUx, vof. ii.'p'e! 

 and in eliminating the loss due to the esca^je of wounded 



