88 REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. 
In April, 1918, there were sent to the Pribilofs three motor trucks, 
two for St. Paul Island and one for St. George Island. Reports in- 
dicate that these trucks have already proved very useful in various 
ways; and with the gradual extension of road facilities, in which 
the trucks will be of great aid, their usefulness will undoubtedly 
increase. 
It is gratifying to record that the natives of the Pribilof Islands 
responded in a patriotic way to the third call for Liberty Loan sub- 
scriptions. From funds held in the custody of the Commissioner of 
Fisheries for certain of these natives, seven on St. Paul and four on 
St. George requested that bonds aggregating $1,150 be purchased for 
them. One woman subscribed for $400. From funds due for taking 
fox skins, 24 natives subscribed for bonds aggregating $1,200, each 
of the 24 subscribing for a $50 bond. 
The act providing for the sundry civil expenses of the Government 
for the fiscal year 1919 appropriated $20,000 for the purchase or 
construction of a wooden power lighter for use at the Pribilof Islands. 
Arrangements have been:made for the construction of a suitable 
vessel. The craft will be about 70 feet in length and 17 feet in 
breadth, with a cargo capacity of 30 to 40 tons, and provided with 
an internal-combustion engine of about 80 horsepower. Sleeping 
accommodations will be available for 6 employees of the Bureau 
and for 10 natives. The vessel will be substantial and seaworthy, 
and able to make trips when necessary from the Pribilof Islands to 
Unalaska, a distance of 250 miles across Bering Sea. It is planned 
that the vessel will be ready for service next season. 
Early in 1918, in response to the request of the Department of Com- 
merce, the Navy Department arranged for the detail of a Coast 
Guard vessel for patrolling the North Pacific Ocean and Bering 
Sea for the protection of fur seals and sea otters. A patrol for the 
purpose indicated is required by the provisions of the North Pacific 
Sealing Convention of July 7, 1911. 
In order to obviate the waste of such valuable products as oil and 
fertilizer, obtainable from the carcasses of seals, the installation of 
a reduction plant has been a great desideratum at the Pribilof Islands. 
Money for this purpose having been made available by the President, 
the necessary machinery, equipment, and other materials have been 
purchased and forwarded to St. Paul Island, and the plant will 
shortly be ready for use. | 
The transportation of persons and supplies to the seal islands and 
of persons and products therefrom has been efficiently performed by 
the steamer Roosevelt, which during the fiscal year made three trips 
from Seattle and gave the islands a more adequate service than was 
ever before possible. While operating expenses of this vessel are con- 
siderable, they are far less than would be required for the unsatisfac- 
tory transportation such as was formerly rendered by chartered ves- 
sels. In fact, the work performed by the Roosevelt during the year 
would, if done by a private vessel, have cost the Government a sum 
that would cover the purchase price of this vessel. 
With the publication of Funsten Bros. & Co.’s catalogue which an- 
nounced the sale of sealskins at St. Louis on April 22, 1918, there 
were formally adopted new terms for use in classifying sealskins. 
