PEEIOD FROM 1825 TO 1867. bo 



seal islands of the Pribilof and Commander 

 groups, and that consequently the colonial waters 

 must be visited by the Company's cruisers con- 

 stantly and in every part, in order to watch and 

 warn the foreign whalers."^ 



The communication just cited throws much waters fre- 



. quented by fiir- 



Yi^ht upon the commercial activity of the Russian seals patrolled i.y 



armed cruisers. 



American Company, and may be accepted as 

 indicative of the methods by which, during- the 

 last term of its charter, it enforced its control "in 

 the colonial waters" of its interests "centered at 

 the present time in the district surrounding the 

 seal islands of the Pribilof group." It appears 

 that during those years the Company gave em- 

 ployment to eight ships in the summer, and in the 

 winter to seven, without counting its whale ships. 

 Referring to the duties of one of its officials, who 

 was to inspect certain of its stations, it is said : 

 "This agent must observe and keep a record of 

 all foreign ships seen during the voyage, and of 

 the position of the same when observed, for the 

 information of commanders of our armed cruisers 

 and of the colonial authorities in Sitka, Kam- 

 chatka, and Ayan." 



In the same letter is contained the following 

 protective scheme, which had been adopted by 



1 Vol. I, p. 72, 74. 



