594 INVESTMENTS. 



Alexander lauded in Victoria, British Columbia, 1,700 skins to be re- 

 shipped to H. Liebes & Co., of San Francisco, owners of the two ves- 

 sels; British schooner Mary Ellen, 1,409 seals, sold at $7.50 per skin. 

 Thus it will be seen that the British Columbia seal industry in the 

 Bering' began in 1884. The Mary Ellen was owned by D. McLean, was 

 of 03 tons, had a crew of twenty-one whites and was worth $6,000, in- 

 cluding her outiit. 



1885. 



Bering Sea collection: American schooner City of San Diego, 1,953 

 skins, at $7.00; American schooner Vanderbilt, 1,244 skims, at $7.00; 

 American schooner San Diego, 1,726, at $7.30; American schooner Look- 

 out, 1,100, at $7.50; British schooner Favorite, 1,383, at $7.60; British 

 schooner Mary Ellen, 1,773, at $7.60. 



1886. 



Bering Sea collection: American schooner Anne, 182, at $5.50; Ameri- 

 can schooner Therese (since sailed under British Hag), 2,000, at $6.50; 

 American schooner Sylvia Bandy, 1,700, at $6.50; American schooner 

 City of San Diego, 1,600, at $6.50; American schooner Helen Blum, no 

 record. The British schooners Onward, Caroline, and Thornton were 

 seized in the Bering with about 2,000 skins on board. 



The Caroline, though under the British Hag, was owned one-half by 

 an American named Bechtel, who furnished also t\ie money for the 

 outfit. Bechtel is interested also in the British schooners Mary Taylor, 

 Pathfinder, and Viva. 



The ships were put under the British flag in defiance of the British 

 merchant shipping act, which forbids any partnerships or beneficial in- 

 terest in any British ship by a foreigner. To secure himself in ease of 

 trouble Bechtel has mortgages on the schooners. The Thornton was 

 owned halt by J. Boscowitz, an American, who owned and now owns 

 all or part of every schooner registered under the British flag in the name 

 of Capt. Warren. This fact came out a short time ago in a lawsuit in 

 Victoria between Warren and Boscowitz. The books of the firm being 

 produced, it was shown that Boscowitz not only owned and shared a 

 half interest, but had advanced moneys for Capt. Warren's share, on 

 which he collected interest. I append a duly certified copy of part of 

 tli' 1 evidence in the suitof Warren v. Boscowitz and Cooper, copied from 

 the archives of the court in Victoria and fully certified to by Harvey 

 Coonibe, esq., deputy registrar of the supreme court of British Colum- 

 bia, over the great seal of the Dominion of Canada. 



Besides the 2,000 skins taken by the seized sealers, the collections in 

 the Bering Sea by British schooners were: 



