ARGUMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



117 



that we were redriviug tlio yearlings, 

 and, considering the mimlier of skins 

 obtained, that it was impossible to secure 

 the number allowed by the lease; that 

 we were merely torturing the young 

 seals, injuring the future life and vitality 

 of the breeding rookeries, to the detri- 

 ment of the lessees, natives, and the Gov- 

 ernment. — (Senate, 50th Congress, 2nd 

 Session, Ex. Doc. No. 90, p. 5.) 



146 



As to causes of decrease ; 



injured is inconsiderable, and could have 

 no appreciable effect upon seal life 

 through destroying the virility of the 

 male. — (United States Case, Appendix, 

 vol. ii,p. 113.) 



It is evident that the many preying 

 evils upon seal life, the killing of the 

 seals in the Pacific Ocean along the Aleu- 

 tian Islands, and as they come through 

 the passes to the Behring Sea, by pirates 

 in these waters, and the indiscriminate 

 slaughter upon the islands, regardless of 

 the future life of the breeding rookeries, 

 have at last, with their combined destruc- 

 tive power, reduced these rookeries to 

 their present imjioverished condition. — 

 (Senate, 50th Congress, 2nd Session, Ex. 

 Doc. No. 90, p. 5.) 



The prosperity of these world-renowned 

 rookeries is fast fading away under the 

 present annual catch allowed by law, and 

 this indiscreet slaughter now being waged 

 in these waters will only hasten the end 

 of the fur-seals of the Pribyloft' Islands. — 

 (Letter from Mr. Goff to Mr. Wiudom, 

 dated St. Paul Island, Alaska, 31st July, 

 1889.) 



W.B.Taylor. — As to raids: 



These vessels will take occasion to hang 

 around the islands, and when there is a 

 heavy fog to go to the rookeries very 



often As it is to-day, these 



vessels come and kill 5,000, 10,000, and 

 15,000 seals every year. — (H. R., 50th Con- 

 gress, 2nd Session, Report No. 3883, p. 54.) 



I believe that the sole cause of the 

 decrease is pelagic sealing, which, from 

 reliable information, I understand to have 

 increased greatly since 1884 or 1885. — 

 (United States Case, Appendix, vol. it, 

 p. 112.) 



There was but one raid on the rookeries 

 while I was there, and that took place on 

 Otter Island. — (United States Case, vol. 

 ii,p.l77.) 



George Wardman. — As to increase in number of seals : 



I made careful examination of the rook- 

 eries each year, and after the first year I 

 compared my yearly observations, so that 

 I might arrive at some conclusion as to 

 whether it was possible and expedient to 

 increase our portion of the quota of skins 

 to be taken on St. George Island without 

 injuriously aifecting seal life there. I am 

 satisfied, from my observations, that the 

 breeding-grounds on St. George covered 

 greater areas in 1884 than in 1881, and 

 that seal lifematerially increased between 

 those dates. — (United States Case, Ap- 

 pendix, vol. ii. p. 178.) 



Charles Bryant. — As to the date of cows leaving their pups: 



After having told the Committee in 

 1888 that he had measured all the rook- 

 eries carefully, Wardman was asked — 



Q. Do you put it [the number of seals] 

 atthe same numbers annually? — A. About. 

 I think the breeding seals on the rook- 

 eries come in about the same numbers. — 

 (H. R., 50th Congress, 2nd Session, Report 

 No. 3883, p. 39.) 



The females go into the water to feed 

 when the pups are some six weeks old. — 

 (Senate, 4l8t Congress, 2nd Session, Ex. 

 Doc. No. 32, p. 5.) 



The pup is nursed by its mother from 

 its birth as long as it remains on the 

 islands, the mother leaving the islands at 

 ditfc'ent intervals of time after the pup is 

 three or four days old. — (United States 

 Case, Appendix, vol, ii, p. 5.) 



