192 



FUK-SEAL HERD OF ALASKA. 



seals on the high seas, Canada will bear 

 one-fourth of the expense of maintenance 

 of the natives of the seal islands, annually, 

 and cost of care and conservation of the 

 fur-seal herd; and Canada will receive 

 one-fourth of the gross proceeds of the sale 

 of skins annually taken on these islands. 



Prof. Elliott appends his opinion that 

 when the Alaska fur-seal herd is fully re- 

 stored, from 75,000 to 80,000 young male 

 seals can safely be taken every season 

 without injury to the regular birth rate 

 of the herd. 



However much impression the Hay- 

 Elliott agreement may have made upon 

 the authorities at the time, it has failed 

 to command the esteem of the officials of 

 the State Department and the Bureau of 

 Fisheries since. They point out that its 

 great inherent weakness is that appar- 

 ently it comprehends only Canada and 

 the United States as necessary factors 

 in an international sealing agreement, 

 whereas not only is Japan the chief ag- 

 gressor, but she and every other country 

 in the world would still enjoy the right 

 to kill seals in the open sea, without the 

 competition which the United States now 

 supplies on the Pribilof Islands. Even 

 should Japan and willing Russia join with 

 Great Britain and the United States in an 

 international agreement, nothing would 

 exist to hinder France or any other 

 country from pelagic sealing, hence the 

 only effect of such an agreement might be 

 to turn the fur-seal fisheries of the world 

 over to countries which now do not par- 

 ticipate in them. It is obvious, therefore, 

 that to be effective an international agree- 

 ment must include pretty much all the 

 civilized nations of the earth. In view of 

 this apparently self-evident truth, the 

 Elliott solution of the problem is re- 

 garded in Washington as a very ineffec- 

 tive affair. The point can be made also, 

 that the Senate probably would l^e slow 

 to ratify any treaty that contemplated the 

 payment of a royalty to a ftjreign Go^'ern- 

 ment upon products whicli are clearly the 

 property of the United States. (Hearing 

 No. 3, pp. 151, 152, July 6, 1911.) 



Evermann introduces the agent 

 of the seal lessees to the com- 

 mittee as another person. 



NATURALISTS WHO HAVE STUDIED THE 

 FUR SEAL FAVOR KILLING OF SURPLUS 

 MALES. 



Dr. Evermann. One of the interesting 

 phases of this question that has attracted 

 my attention is the attitude which some 

 persons have assumed toward the large 

 numbers of able and distinguished natu- 

 ralists who have visited the seal islands 

 and who are without question the men 

 most familiar with the fur-seal herd and 



any other country from pelagic sealing; 

 hence the only effect of such an agree- 

 ment might be to turn the fur-seal fisher- 

 ies of the world over to countries which 

 now do not participate in them. It is 

 obvious, therefore, that to be effective an 

 international agreement must include 

 pretty much all the civilized nations of 

 the earth." 



The explanation is weak and prepos- 

 terous. Take France, for instance, as a 

 possible pelagic sealer. What ports could 

 she, engaged in contraband trade, use as 

 bases of supplies? Where would she land 

 her skins? The nearest French port is 

 perhaps 10,000 miles away as ships must 

 sail. Her furs would spoil, her sailors and 

 fishermen starve, her vessels, tossed and 

 wrecked in that stormy sea, could not be 

 repaired. And as with France, so with 

 any other nation outside the circle of the 

 proposed agreement. 



The United States, Great Britain, Rus- 

 sia, and Japan control the situation by 

 geographical conditions. There is every 

 reason to believe that the three would 

 join with the Government at Washington 

 to stop the wanton destruction of a great 

 natural resource if the State Department 

 would but take the initiative. 



Meanwhile the old question remains 

 unanswered: Why does the United States 

 refuse to act? This "explanation " of the 

 Transcript correspondent is notable for its 

 utter failure to explain. (Plain Dealer, 

 Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 8, 1909.) 



The reason why Jos. Stanley- 

 Brown is so highly regarded by 

 the Bureau of Fisheries. 



OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AGENT IN 

 CHARGE OF ST. PAULS ISLAND, ALASKA. 



Thursday, June 9, 1892. 



Mr. J. Stanley-Brown nrrived and took 



the place of Maj. Williams as United 



States agent in charge of the seal islands. 



Friday, July 8, 1892. 



The entire control and management of 



the killing grounds and the killing of the 



seals were' given to Mr. Fowlei-, of the 



