LAWS ENACTED BY CONGRESS. 97 



clothing during other months, and also such old seals as may be required 

 for their own clothing and for the manufacture of boats for their own 

 use; and the killing in such cases shall be limited and controlled by 

 such regulations as may be x)rescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. 



Sec. 1961. It shall be unlawful to kill any female seal, or any seal less 

 than one year old, at any season of the year, except as above provided ; 

 and it shall also be unlawful to kill any seal in the waters adjacent to 

 the islands of Saint Paul and Saint George, or on the beaches, cliffs, 

 or rocks where they haul up from the sea to remain; and every person 

 who violates the provisions of this or the preceding section shall be 

 punished for each offense by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars 

 nor more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not more than 

 six months, or by both such fine and imiu'isonmeut ; and all vessels, their 

 tackle, apparel, and furniture, whose crews are found engaged in the 

 violation of either this or the preceding section, shall be forfeited to the 

 United States. 



Sec. 1962. For the period of twenty years from the first July, one 

 thousand eight hundred and seventy, the number of fur seals which 

 may be killed for their skins upon the island of Saint Paul is limited to 

 seventy-five thousand i)er annum; and the number of fur-seals which 

 may be killed for their skins upon the island of St. George is limited 

 to twenty-five thousand per annum; but the Secretary of the Treasury 

 may limit the right of killing, if it becomes necessary for the preserva- 

 tion of such seals, with such i^roportionate reduction of the rents re- 

 served to the Government as may be proper ; and every person who 

 knowingly violates either of the j)rovisions of this section shall be pun- 

 ished as provided in the preceding section. 



Sec. 1963. When the lease heretofore made by the Secretary of the 

 Treasury to "The Alaska Commercial Company" of the right to engage 

 in taking fur seals on the islands of Saint Paul and Saint George, pur- 

 suant to the act of the first July, chapter one hundred and eighty-nine, 

 or when any future similar lease expires, or is surrendered, forfeited, 

 or terminated, the Secretary shall lease to proper and responsible par- 

 ties, for the best advantage of the United States, having due regard to 

 the interests of the Government, the native inhabitants, their comfort, 

 maintenance, and education, as well as to the interests of the parties 

 heretofore engaged in trade and the protection of the fisheries, the 

 right of taking fur seals on the islands herein named, and of sending a 

 vessel or vessels to the islands for the skins of such seals, for the term 

 of twenty years, at an annual rental of not less than fifty thousand dol- 

 lars, to be reserved in such lease and secured by a deposit of United 

 States bonds to that amount; and every such lease shall be duly ex- 

 ecuted in duplicate, and shall not be transferable. 



Sec. 1964. The Secretary of the Treasury shall take from the lessees 

 of such islands in all cases a bond, with securities, in a sum not less 

 than five hundred thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful observ- 

 ance of all the laws and requirements of Congress, and the regulations 

 of the Secretary of the Treasury touching the taking of fur seals, and 

 the disposing of the same, and for the payment of all taxes and dues 

 accruing to the United States connected therewith. 



Sec. 1965. No persons other than American citizens shall be per- 

 mitted, by lease or otherwise, to occupy the islands of Saint Paul and 

 Saint George, or either of them, for the purpose of taking the skins of 

 fur seals therefrom, nor shall any foreign vessels be engaged in taking 

 such skins ; and the Secretary of the Treasury shall vacate and declare 

 any lease forfeited if the same be held or operated for the use, benefit 

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