LOSS TO UNITED STATES. 



575 



LOSS IF HERD DESTROYED. 



LOSS TO UNITED STATES. 



Page 269 of The Case. 



I have signed the firm name to the statement hereto annexed, which 

 has been prepared from a careful examination of 



the firm books, and I know it to be true in all re- c. Francis Bates, p. 509. 

 spects. The seal skins therein referred to were all 



purchased at Victoria, British Columbia, and are of the class commonly 

 known as northwest coast skins, i. e., skins from animals which were 

 caught in the Pacific Ocean or in the waters of Bering Sea. The state- 

 ment represents all of the skins of this kind which were purchased by my 

 firm between the years 1880 and 1890, inclusive, together with the full 

 prices paid for them. I believe these prices to represent the average 

 value of northwest coast skins at Victoria during these years, except 

 that the price paid for the small lot purchased in 181)0 is, as I am in- 

 formed, below the average for that year. I find, however, upon referring 

 to my books, that tin's lot was composed of small skins, some of them 

 in poor condition. 



During the year 1891 we purchased no northwest coast skins, and I 

 am therefore unable to state, of my own knowledge, their value in that 

 year, but I understand that in the fall of 1890 and in 1891 it was very 

 much higher than in any previous year, owing entirely to the diminished 

 catch of seal-skins upon the Pribilof Islands by the lessees of the Gov- 

 ernment during those years. * * * 



Statement by Martin Bates, jr., $■ Co., of New York. 



For many years we have been large purchasers of Alaska (or Pribilof 

 Island) fur-seal skins, having bought in London 



and brought to this country between the years C.Francis Bates, p. 528. 

 1879 and 1891 71,904 such skins. I am familiar 



with the value and extent of the industry of manufacturing articles of 

 fur-seal skins in this country, my house having until very recently 

 been largely interested in it. This industry is one of great value to 

 the United States. The fur-seal skin is in many respects one of the 

 most valuable furs that has ever been placed on the market. I have 

 read the statement * hereto annexed and signed the name of my firm 



See affidavits of Joseph Ullmann et al., and Samuel Ullmann. 



