REPORT OF BRITISH COMMISSIONERS. 131 



ill 1825 skins were bartered by the Enssian Governnieiit in the Sand- 

 wich Islands at an average rate of 1 dol. 75 c. {7s.) ; in China, at Kiatcha, 

 at from 1 dolhir {4s.) to 1 dol. 40 c. (<>.s'.); while the j)rices given by the 

 Hudson's Bay Company at Port Simpson were, so lately as 1850, only 

 1 dol. 50 c. {6s.) per skin. 



485. A few years later, however, more attention was given to the 

 northern fur-seal, and we find vessels from all quarters, including Hono- 

 lulu, cruizing round the North Pacific, endeavouring to trade for, or take, 

 seal-skins. Seal-hunters followed in their track, bringing with them the 

 traditions and experiences of the south seas summed up in the idea of 

 taking the fur-seal as and when it came ashore. Writing in 1870, Pro- 

 fessor Dall describes the Harbour of Chichagoflf, in Attn, as a notorious 

 smuggling centre for furs. 



Such was the general aspect of affairs by the middle of the present 

 century in the North Pacific. 



486. In the more westerly portion of that ocean, from a variety of 

 sources, and especially from the special report sui>plied to us by Mr. de 

 Bunsen from the British Legation at Tokio, and a memorandum obtained 

 from his Government by Viscount Kawaze, Japanese Minister in Lon- 

 don, we have a tolerably complete account of the fur-seal fishery on the 

 coasts of Japan and the Kurile Islands. 



487. The seal fishery is an old-established iiidustiy in Japan, and par- 

 ticulars are on record dating back to the middle of the last century. 

 The skins were obtained about 1750 and 1700 from Horoinoshir, Maka- 

 ruru, Shimsir, and Urup by the natives of Itrup and Eashua, using 

 arrows, harpoons, and nets. 



In 1800, we read of a regular sealing establishment being set up in 



Itrup, and carried on for years with success. 



80 The seal-skins were usually bartered at Nagasaki to the 



Chinese. The Government in these years purchased the skins 



from the natives, at the fixed rates of 90 and 45 sen for the best and 



medium quality skins respectively. 



During the succeeding years, Bussian subjects gradually pushed 

 southward down the Kurile group, aud much competition and even 

 conflict resulted in rival endeavours to secure seal-skins. At this 

 period, the Russians began to send furs to the China market direct to 

 Peking through the great mart established at Kiateh, in Eastern Siberia. 



488. About the year 1865, the Japanese Government found itself 

 forced to deal with the increasing numbers of foreign vessels — chiefly 

 Enssian, British, American, and Dutch — which began to visit their 

 coasts, and frequent the bays and harbours in quest of marine products. 



489. As early as 1869, the Japanese Colonial Department set up a 

 branch establishment in the Island of Itrup, with the special object of 

 carrying out the measures established to protect the Japanese coast 

 fishing against foreigners. The old seal-skin regulations were revived 

 and the Government price trebled. In 1873, Commissions were set up 

 specially to prevent seal poaching and sale of seal-skins by foreigners. 

 Much trouble was occasioned by the foreign vessels, which usually 

 claimed the right to remain in the bays and harbours, on the plea of 

 stress of weather or need for wood and water. This necessitated a man- 

 of-war being sent up, and, ultimately, a special cruizer was detailed 

 to the Kurile Islands for the sealing season, viz.. May to October. 



490. In May 1874, the Government issued regulations to (;()ntrol the 

 fishery around the Hokkaido (Yezo) Islands, claiming jurisdiction 

 within a limit of two and a-half miles from the shore, and stating " if 

 any foreigners be found fishing within the above-mentioned limits, they 



