FRIDAY MORNING SESSION. 



Friday, July 22(1, 1898, 9:30 a. m. 



The meeting was called to order by \'^ice-President Peabody. 



Mr. VVhitaker: We have three papers yet to be read. The 

 first is by Dr. Bushrod W. James, of Philadelphia, entitled, "The 

 Protection of the Pacific Coast as Related to b'ood Supply." 



Mr. Whitaker then read Dr. James' paper, which follows: 



PROTECTION OF THE FOOD FISH SUPPLY ON THE PACIFIC 

 COAST AND IN ALASKA. 



The great abundance of excellent fish in the northwestern wa- 

 ters, the revenue from which in years past has mounted into mil- 

 lions of dollars annually, would suggest to many persons that the 

 consideration of systematized protection reg-arding them was en- 

 tirely superfluous at this time. Yet a cursory glance at the his- 

 tory of the larger animals, whose habitat has been the Pacific 

 Ocean, Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean, will be irrefutable evi- 

 dence that it is better to agitate the question before the lesser fish 

 have been threatened with extinction. In the class of valuable 

 fishes in Alaska the great mammals of the water have always been 

 included, but of one of the most important, the seals, nothing can 

 now be said, as their protection, having been submitted to arbitra- 

 tion, must depend upon the decision so secured; time alone being 

 able to demonstrate its efficacy. 



Whales, sea lions and walruses, however, remain without any 

 safe-guard, and their annihilation has been imminent for several 

 years. As food fish they have always been most valuable to the 

 natives of the territory, as have been the same family of creatures 

 to the inhabitants of Greenland, on the Atlantic coast. The neg- 

 lect to provide some protection to the Atlantic whale is well 

 known to be most disastrous, the whaling fleets having found 

 themselves compelled to quit the business because of the scarcity 

 of their prey, until now, it is stated by an influential journal, 

 that if it were not for the occasional success of whaling in Alaska, 

 the business would be completely degenerated. As it is, the fall- 

 ing-oft' has been so great that even the Pacific whalemen are turn- 

 ing their talents in another direction. The great value of this ani- 

 mal to merchants is well known, but now the reduction of the 

 quantities of bone and oil has sent the prices upward phenomen- 

 ally, putting them beyond the tradesmen, who find few consumers 



