ORAL ARGUMENT OF FREDERICK R. COUDERT, ESQ. 391 



wants to minimise as niiicli as bis conscience will j)eimit. He was 

 asked: 



What are the names of the brokers to whom they (the sealers) chiefly consign?^ 

 A. My firm have liad the bulk of the cousii;nuients. Q. Have you ever had to con- 

 sider the proportion of females iu the north-west catch? — A. Not until this question 

 arose, because prior to that no distinction was ever made either in buying skins or 

 in selling theui. They are simply sorted iu quality and size, and not fur the question 

 of sex. Q. Have you, with the view of informing yourself, on the question, lately 

 examined any consignments of north-west sealskins? — A. Yes, last week; I went 

 carefully through a jtarcel of 2,000, and came to the conclusion that the percentage 

 of females did not exceed 75 per cent, at the most. 



Now here is a man who selects his own parcel, who is a witness for 

 the other side, who evidently does not mean to increase it or enlarge 

 the proportion; and he fixes it at 75 per cent. 



The next is 



Henry Poland, Head of the firm of P. R. Poland and Son, Farriers, London, estab- 

 lished in 1785. 



{Case of the U. S., Appendix, vol. II, page 571.) 



This firm prepared the tables of weights contained in vol. II of the Appendix to 

 the British Counter Case. 



That the Northwest skins are in turn distinguishable from the Copper Island and 

 Alaska skins, first by reason of the fact that a very large proportion of the adult 

 skins are obvioushi the skins of female animals; second, because they are all pierced 

 with the spear or harpoon or shot in consequence of being killed in open sea. 



{Cross-examination by the British Gorernment See British Counter Case, Appendix, vol. 



II, page 250.) 



As regards what is generally known as the Northwest catch I consider that on the 

 whole the proportion of females to males taken is from 75 to 80 percent; in grey 

 pups and extra small pups the proportion would be 50 per ceut. In the large sizes 

 the proportion, on the other hand!| would exceed 80 per cent. 



The next is 



William C. B. Stamp, Furrier, Loudon. 



{Case of the U. S., Appendix, vol. II, 574.) 



He has been in business 30 years. He says: 



I should estimate the proportion of female skins included within the Northwest 

 catch at at least 75 per ceut and 1 should not be surprised nor feel inclined to contra- 

 dict an estimate of upwards of 90 per cent. My sorter who actually handles the 

 skins estimates the number of female skins in the Northwest catch at 90 per cent. 



Probably no man in the establishment could do it better than a 

 sorter. 



{Cross-examination by British. Government See British Connfer Case, Appendix, vol. II, 



page 572.) 



Referring to the statement made in my said former declaration (namely that cou- 

 tained in volume II, Ai)p. to U. S. Case) that I should not be surprised nor feel 

 inclined to contradict an estimate of upwards of 90 per cent of female skins in the 

 Northwest catch, I say that whilst it is possible with tolerable accuracy to sejiarate 

 female from male skins in the larger sizes, as regards the smaller sizes of seals under 

 the age of two years it is a matter of great difiiculty, and often impossibility to 

 determine the sex. 



I do not nnderstand, however, that this gentleman means to say that 

 his statement was not correct in every respect when he made an esti- 

 mate of 80 per ceut. Of course they are very few, or small. 



