FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY. 97 



The Bureau is pleased to make acknowledgment of the numerous 

 courtesies extended by the Coast Guard in connection with Alaskan 

 operations, and to express its appreciation of the earnest spirit of 

 cooperation constantly manifested by the personnel of that service. 



SEALING PRIVILEGES ACCORDED ABORIGINES. 



A considerable number of fur-seal skins were taken in 1919 by 

 Indians in connection with operations in the waters off the coast of 

 Washington. The taking of the seals was in accordance with the 

 privilege granted by the North Pacific Sealing Convention of July 7, 

 1911, and the act of Congress approved August 24, 1912, giving 

 effect to that convention. In the matter of authenticating these 

 skins, the Bureau had the assistance of Mr. A. D. Dodge, superin- 

 tendent, U. S. Indian School, Neah Bay, Wash., and of Dr. Otis O, 

 Benson, superintendent, Taholah Indian Agency, Taholah, Wash. 

 Five hundred fifty-four skins were authenticated by Messrs. Dodge 

 and Benson, all of which with one or two exceptions were secured in 

 1919. Of these skins 251 were from male seals and 303 from females, 



SHIPMENTS OF SKINS FROM PRIBILOF ISLANDS IN 1919. 



Fur-seal skins. — There were two shi]^ments of commercial fur-seal 

 skins from the Pribilof Islands in 1919. The first was on the Saturn and 

 consisted of 106 casks containing 3,624 skins from St. Paul Island and 

 14 casks containing 389 skins from St. George Island, a total of 4,013 

 skins. The St. Paul skins were placed aboard the Saturn on May 21 

 and the St. George skins on May 6. The Saturn left the islands May 

 22. The skins reached San Francisco June 5 and were shipped from 

 there June 6 via Southern Pacific to Ogden, Union Pacific to Kansas 

 City, and Wabash to St. Louis. They arrived at St. Louis June 18. 



The second shipment was made on the Nanslia.n and consisted of 

 863 casks containing 22,829 skins from St. Paul Island and 131 casks 

 containing 3,356 skins from St. George Island, a total of 26,185 skins. 

 The St. George skins were placed aboard the Nanshan on September 

 30 and the St. Paul skins about the same time. The NansTian left the 

 islands October 13 and arrived at Seattle October 26. Thirty-seven 

 barrels of skins were shipped from Seattle to St. Louis by express, 

 this being done at the request of Funsten Bros. & Co. to insure more 

 prompt delivery of raw material to keep the dressing and dyeing 

 plant in operation without interruption. The comjiany paid the dif- 

 ference in cost of shipment by express over that b}' freight. The 

 remaining 957 barrels were shipped to St. Louis by freight in four 

 cars via Northern Pacific to Minnesota Transfer and Chicago, Bur- 

 lington & Quincy to St. Louis. 



In addition to the commercial skins shipped from the Pribilofs in 

 1919, there were also shipped on the NansJian 19 specimen skins for 

 the California Academy of Sciences. Three of these were from 

 St. Paul Island and 16 from St. George Island. 



Fox shins. — The fox skins taken in the season of 1918-19 were 

 shipped on the Saturn in May. The shipment consisted of 119 

 blue fox skins and 25 white fox skins from St. Paul Island, and 548 

 blue fox skins and 5 white fox skins from St. George Island, a total 

 of 697 skins. The skins were shipped to St. Louis by express from 

 San Francisco June 5. 



