302 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The consignments of skins are assorted according to the size, the 

 following grades being recognized: 



The following summary, compiled by Mr. Alfred Fraser, shows the 

 total number of skins offered at the London auction sales during each 

 year since 1872; 



Statement of the number of each variety of fur-seal .s'A:('?(.s offered in London during a xeries 

 of years ending in 1900. 



a The 1896 skins were sold in December, 1896; no 1897 skins were sold until March, 1898. 



Previous to 1820 no market existed for fur-seal skins in the. United 

 States, and practicalh^ all of those received from the Southern oceans 

 were reshippcd to China, either direct or by way of Europe. In 1822 

 Mr. Denison Williams, a cap-manufacturer of Albany, N. Y., introduced 

 fur-seal caps to the trade. From a manuscript written by him, and 

 now in the possession of Mr. Samuel Williams, we have extracted the 

 following notes in regard to the development of this business: 



111 1822 the first fur-seal came into our market. At that time no one knew a 

 process of removing the hair from the fur, therefore we made them into caps with 

 the hair on, which took well. The next season we used large quantities of fur-seal, 

 and after a number of experiments succeeded in removing the hair, greatly increasing 

 the value of the fur. Those skins were from the South Shetlands, then just discovered, 



