INCREASE OF SEALING FLEET. 



327 



I think the seals are decreasing in number all the time, because there 

 are more vessels out hunting after them and are r . „ „ . , „, , 1Qn 



i -ii- jv. .. j. t i * Cyrus Stephens, p. 480. 



killing off the female seals. 



Q. If there is a decrease, to what do you attribute it? — A. On ac- 

 count of so much extermination aud hunting by Qugfave Sll)ldmll m , 

 the seal-hunters. 



I have heard that seal have been decreasing the 

 last few years, caused, I think, by pelagic sealing. 



The decrease, I think, is caused by the indis- 

 criminate killing of female seals. 



W. Thomas, p. 485. 



Rudolph Walson, p. 272. 



From what I know seals have been decreasing very fast in recent 

 years. Think the decrease is caused by the in- 

 discriminate killing in the North Pacific Ocean p. s. Weittenheiier, p. 27i. 

 and Bering Sea. 



My experience is that the seals have been decreasing in numbers for 

 the last six or seven years, and within the past 

 two or three years very rapidly, owing to the in- Michael White, p. 490. 

 discriminate killing of them by pelagic hunters 



and vessels eugaged in that business in the waters of the North Pa- 

 cific and Bering Sea. 



INCREASE OF SEALING FLEET. 

 Page 183 of The Case. 



Pelagic sealing as an industry is of recent origin and may be said to 

 date from 1879. In 1880, according to the official 



reportoftheOanad : an Minister of Marine and Fish- Report of American Com- 

 eries, 7 vessels and 213 men were engaged in pe- , ™ ssloners , P- 371 of The 

 lagic sealing in the North Pacific, securing 13,600 



skins, valued at $103,200. The same authority states that in 1886 20 

 vessels and 459 men secured 38,907 skins, valued at $389,070. In 1891 

 the number of United States aud Canadian vessels had increased to 

 over 100; upwards of 2,000 men were engaged, and more than 62,000 

 skins were secured. 



The number of seal-skins actually recorded as Report of American Com- 

 sold as a result of pelagic sealing is shown in the »^ioner8, p. 366 of The 

 following table: 



Case. 



1872 . 



1873. 



1874 . 



1875 



1876 



1877 



1878 



No. of 

 skins. 



1,029 



4,949 

 1,646 

 2,042 

 5,700 

 9,593 



* Number estimated from value given. 



