132 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



deferring to the use in tliiN pai)er of tlie terms "sealing belt," and 

 certain "quadrants" of tlie same, I quote here an extract from a letter 

 addressed by me to the Commissioner, under date of August 27, 1894, 

 which will explain the subject: 



From a careful examination of the ground passed over by the Albatross during 

 this summer's Avork in I5ering Sea, in connection with the reports thus far obtained 

 from sealers boarded and the locality in which seals have been taken in the sealing 

 belt surrounding the prohibited zone, it appears that the sealiug-ground for this 

 year has been confined to the western, southern, and southeastern portions of the 

 belt circumscribing the prohibited zone, and which is delined by two radii from St. 

 Paul Island: one N. 51° W. true, the other S. 81° E., covering an arc of 210°. The 

 southeastern and southern belts average .50 miles in width. The western belt varies 

 from 50 to 75 miles, owing to the nature of the plateau in this locality as outlined 

 by the 100-fathom curve. It is to be observed that a strong northerly set occurs in 

 this locality which is not materially affected by northerly winds, but more properly 

 by the topographical features of the bed of this portion of Bering Sea, connecting 

 with the Aleutian chain of islands to the southward, which undoubtedly control 

 the surface, subsurface, and warmer currents of the Japan stream passing into the 

 sea. There is a possibility that this could bring Avith it certain pelagic species 

 which woiild be sustained at or near the surface by the warmer subsurface currents 

 rising as they approach the plateau, thereby making this a favorite feeding ground, 

 for in this locality some of the largest catches have already occurred, reaching as 

 liigli as 250 per diem per sealer. 



The area of the western l»elt is 10,938 square miles. On the northwestern plateau 

 of this belt 2,536 square miles are inside of the 100-fathom curve, in which its north- 

 eastern border commences in 05 fathoms ; it then slopes gradually to the 100-fathom 

 curve. The remaining portion of this belt, 8,402 square miles (77 per cent of the 

 western belt), occupies the slope of the southwestern face of this plateau, varying 

 in depth from the 100-fathom curve to 1,800 fathoms at its western limit. 



The area of the southern belt is 6,700 square miles. Its eastern border commences 

 at the 100-fathom curve on the southeastern platean and slopes gradually to 1,700 

 fathoms at its western border connecting with the western belt. 



The area of the southeastern belt is 1,950 scjuare miles. Its northeastern border 

 commences in 54 fathoms; it then slopes gradually to the 100-fathom curve, connect- 

 ing with the southern belt. 



Square miles. 



Total area of sealing belt 22, 588 



Area of sealing belt on plateau 7, 486 



Sixty-seven per cent of the sealing belt is therefore in deep water, outside of the 

 100-fathom curve. 



We remained in Dutch Harbor, undergoing minor repairs and taking 

 coal, until the morning of September 4, Avhen we went to sea under 

 orders from the commander in chief. Off the entrance to Ilnalaska Bay 

 we fell in with and s])oke the British schooner Kilmeni/, of Victoria, 

 with GOO seal skins, and the American schooner Deeahls, of Port 

 Townsend, with 850 skins. They were both bound for Unalaska for 

 water and ])rovisions, and expected to leave the sea between the loth 

 and loth of September. The same afternoon, oft" Akun Island, .we 

 boarded the American schooner Jane G^'cy, of San Francisco, with 138 

 seal skins. She had entered the sea from the Japan coast by way of 

 Attn and was now bound home. The nth and 6th were occupied in 

 cruising to the southward of the GO-mile zone, and at noon of the latter 

 date we fell in with and boarded the British schooner Walter L. h'ichy 

 of Victoria, with a catch in Bering Siea of 1,738 seals. This vessel was 



