LOSS TO UNITED STATES. 579 



were brought to this country: 1887, 9,000; 1888, 5,800; 1889, 6,800. 

 These figures fairly represent his average purchases and importations 

 beween 1880 and 1889. 



The number of Alaska fur-seal skins which are imported annually 

 into the United States, after dressing and dyeing 

 in London, is, upon the basis of the importations , J ^ ph Ullmann etaL > 

 during the past ten years and upon a catch of 



100,000 skins at the Pribilof Islands, correctly estimated at 65,000 to 

 75,000. 



The value, before paying duty thereon tothe United States, of each 

 dressed and dyed fur-seal skin so imported, may be said to range be- 

 tween $15 and $50, with an average value during the past ten years of 

 about $25 a skin. 



The wages paid annually to people engaged in the manufacture and 

 remodeling of seal-skin articles are, on an average, about $7 a skin, or 

 upon 70,000 skins, $490,000. 



The profits made annually by merchants, wholesale furriers, and 

 retail furriers amount to about $30 a skin, or upon 70,000 skins, 

 $2,100,000. 



The amount of silk consumed annually in the manufacture in the 

 United States of 70,001) fur-seal skins into articles and in the repairing 

 of these articles, may be estimated at $150,000 to $200,000. All silk 

 which is being so consumed at the present time is made in the United 

 States. 



The books of the New York house show the following purchases of 

 dressed and dyed Alaska fur-seal skins in London 



between the years 1885 a id 1891. All of these Samuel Ullmann, p. 527. 

 purchases were brought to this country: 1885, 



11,818 out of a total Alaska, catch of about 100,000; 1886, 12,646 out of 

 a total Alaska catch of about 100,000; 1887, 25,344 out of a total Alaska 

 catch of about 100,000; L888. 17.900 out of a total Alaska catch of 

 about L00,000; 1889, 14,160 out of a total Alaska catch of about 100,000; 

 1890, 3,569 out of a total Alaska catch of about 21,000; 1891, 3,240 out 

 of a total Alaska catch of about 13,000. 



I have signed the name of Joseph Ullmann to the annexed state- 

 ment,* which I have carefully considered, and to the best of my infor- 

 mation and belief this statement is correct, except that I know noth- 

 ing about the silk consumed. I regard the figures given therein as 

 conservative. 



My father dressed and dyed a few seal-skins in 1832, and each year 

 thereafter, and in 1864 this became a lucrative 



item of our business. Since 1870 the house has - 9 eo ' H ' Treadw ^ l h P- 

 bought annually from 5,000 to 6,000 salted fur- 

 seal skins in London, all of which it has dressed and dyed in Albany. 



I understand that my concern and that of J. D. Williams, of Brook- 

 lyn, have heretofore been the only regular and recognized dressers and 

 dyers in the United States. Until last year our house dressed and 

 dyed skins only for its own use. 



In addition to dressing and d^ eing, our house annually manufactures 



* See affidavit of Jos. Ulliaaun et al. 



