338 EEPORTS OF BERING SEA COMMISSION. 



Extracts from entering the service of the Alaska Sealing* 



testimony taken. 



Company, Few persons have as much knowl- 

 edge of seals and the sealing industry as he. 

 His statement was that the falling off last 

 year at St. George was very great, and this 

 year fhe number is considerably less than last. 

 *' There are not over one-third as many seals on 

 this island as were here a few years ago." 

 Difficulty of les- Evidence of this character mio-ht be multiplied 



sees to obtain ° 



I'^o**- to almost any extent were it thought necessary. 



It is well known that during the last few years 

 the operating Company had experienced difficulty 

 in finding a sufficient number of high-class skins 

 to fill the quota permitted by the Government, 

 and that finally that quota was greatly reduced 

 by order of the representatives of the Govern- 

 Uudisputed de- j^^^ent on the islands. It may therefore be accepted 



crease. *' ^ 



as an undisputed fact that the seal population of 

 the islands is greatly below what it was for many 

 years and there is little doubt that if the causes 

 which brought about this reduction are permitted 

 to continue in operation, commercial extinction of 

 the herd within a few years will be the inevi- 

 table result. 



But, fortunately, we are not obliged to accept 

 this conclusion solely on the basis of such testi- 

 mony as that given above, reliable and convinc- 



