ACTION OF EXECUTIVE. 103 



Treasury Department, March 6, 1886. 

 Sir: I transmit herewith for your information a copy of a letter ad- 

 dressed by the Department on the 12th March, 1881, to D. A.D'Ancona, 

 concerning the jurisdiction of the United States in the waters of the 

 Territory of Alaska and the prevention of the killing of fur-seals and 

 other fur-bearing animals within such areas as prescribed by Chapter 

 3, Title 23, of the Eevised Statutes. The attention of your predecessor 

 in office was called to this subject on the 4th April, 1881. This com- 

 munication is addressed to you inasmuch as it is understood that cer- 

 tain parties at your port contemplate the fitting out of expeditions to 

 kill fur-seals in these waters. You are requested to give due publicity 

 to such letters in order that such parties may be informed of the con- 

 struction placed by this Department upon the provision of law referred 

 to. 



Respectfully, yours, 



D. Manninq, 



Secretary. 

 Collector of Customs, 



San Francisco, 



Regulations governing the seal fisheries in AlasJca, published in 1889. 



The law limits the number of seals which may be killed for their skins 

 on the islands of St. Paul and St. George to 100,000 per annum. At 

 present the quota is fixed at 80,000 for St. Paul Island, and 20,000 for 

 St. George Island. This proportion may be varied from time to time 

 by the Secretary of the Treasury as facts may seem to demand. 



The skins will be counted by the Treasury agents as they are placed 

 in the salt houses, and again as they are placed on board the vessel j 

 and a daily record of the count will be ke^it. This record will be filed, 

 and from it will be entered in a ledger a proper rejjort of the season's 

 catch. At the close of each season a report to the Treasury Depart- 

 ment will be made by the principal agent, showing the number 'of skins 

 taken and shipped, which will include the skins of any seals killed for 

 food and accepted by the company as part of its quota. The rejjort will 

 also show to what extent the company has performed the other condi- 

 tions of the lease with respect to furnishing supplies to the natives, 

 keeping the school, etc., and generally embracing a review for the year 

 of the condition of affairs at the islands. The natives are expected to 

 perform the work assigned them in an orderly and proper manner, and 

 the making or the use of " quass" or other intoxicating drinks will be 

 discouraged by the officers of the company and of the Government, and, 

 when necessary, the issuance of supplies from which such beverages 

 can be made may be refused. To do the coarser kind of work, such as 

 salting the skins, etc., the company is authorized to take from other 

 parts of the Territory a proper number of men, who may be used to do 

 the work of killing or flaying, should the natives of the islands fail or 

 refuse to do their work or to perform it in a satisfactory manner. 



The Treasury agents are expected to maintain order, require the 

 attendance of the children at the school, and lend their best efforts to 

 regulate the condition of affiiirs, so as to promote the welfare of the 

 natives and advance them in civilization. 



Occasional visits will be made by the Government officers to Otter 



