REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XIII 



coimectioii with tlie special commission appointed by the President in 

 accordance with tlie joint resolution of Congress approved June 8, 

 1890, to investigate into the condition of the fur-seal herd. The Fish 

 Commission representatives on the fur-seal commission were Lieut. 

 Commander J. F. Moser, U. S. N., and Mr. C. H. Townsend. 



During the summer of 1896, the steamer Albatross was engaged in 

 Alaskan waters, having been detailed by the President to the Treasury 

 Department for the use of the si)ecial commission. The vessel returned 

 via Japan and Honolulu, arriving at Sausalito, Cal., December 11. 

 On the 15th she was relieved from further duty in connection with the 

 Treasury Department, and, after pressing repairs had been completed, 

 sailed for San Diego December 30. 



The recent very marked development of the fisheries oft' the coast of 

 southern California makes it desirable that the extent, resources, and 

 location of the principal fishing-banks be ascertained, and during the 

 early part of the year 1897 the Albatross was engaged in provisional 

 examinations of the fishing-grounds oft' the coast of Los Angeles County, 

 Monterey, and in the vicinity of the Farallone Islands, to discover the 

 possibilities of a further extension of the oft'-shore fisheries. For the 

 first time in many years the vessel was available for exclusive fishery 

 work, and accordingly preparations were made for a systematic study 

 of the streams of southeast Alaska, to determine their resources and 

 the abundance, movements, and habits of their fishes. 



The active prosecution of the fisheries in certain streams threatens to 

 seriously reduce the sujjply unless effective measures are taken to offset 

 the destruction. The conditions are so different along the 3,000 miles 

 of Alaskan coast that no general law is aj)iilicable to all parts of the 

 Territory. The Albatross was prepared for this cruise at Sausalito, Cal., 

 and on May 8 set sail for the Straits of Fuca. Observations and dredg- 

 ings were made off Cape Flattery and in the Puget Sound region, and 

 on May 29 the vessel, having been docked, started on a northern cruise. 

 Inijuiries were begun at Mary Island, southeast Alaska, and at the close 

 of the fiscal year were being systematically carried on along the coast. 



In accordance with the act of Congress approved December 22, 1896, 

 the L^nited States Fish Commission took part in the Tennessee Centen- 

 nial Exposition, which opened at Nashville May 1, and isnowin progress. 

 Mr. W. de C. Raven el was appointed representative on the board of man- 

 agement having charge of the Government exhibit. Fifteen thousand 

 five hundred dollars and 5,000 square feet of space were allotted for the 

 exhibit of the Fish Commission, which was arranged to show the char- 

 acter of the work performed by each of its divisions, the methods and 

 apparatus employed, and the results attained. The material was col- 

 lected and installed by the time of opening of the Government building 

 May 17, 1897. 



An aquarium 120 feet long, containing 22 tanks, has been provided, 

 with an equal number of tanks for salt and fresh water, respectively, 

 arranged in an ornamental manner on each side of a grotto. The 



