110 ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Teeasury Department, 

 Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, D. C, July 15, 1892. 

 The honorable the Secretary of State: 



Sir : In reply to your request therefor I have the honor to state that 

 the records of this Department afford the following information in rela- 

 tion to the service of the Eevenue Cutters in Alaskan waters since that 

 Territory was ceded to the United States. 



Early in June, 1807, before the formal transfer of the Territory was 

 made by the Eussian Government to the United States, the revenue 

 steamer Lincoln was ordered to Alaska and sailed in July. She was 

 in immediate command of Capt. J. W. White, while Capt. W. A. How- 

 ard, also of the Eevenue- Cutter Service, had general charge of the expe- 

 dition. 



His instructions contemplated the securing of information which 

 would aid in the j)roper i)rotection of the revenues and the interests of 

 the Government when the Territory became a part of the United 

 States. The records fail to show the date on which the Lincoln re- 

 turned to San Francisco, but it was prior to November 1st of that year. 



March 20, 1868, Capt. J. W. White, then in command of the revenue 

 steamer Wayanda, was ordered with his command on a cruise to Alaska 

 "for the protection of those interests especially confided to your care 

 as an officer of the Eevenue-Marine Service by the laws of the United 

 States and the regulations of this Department." The Wayanda sailed 

 from San Francisco April 18, 1868. 



During the season this vessel visited the islands of St. Paul and St. 

 George for the purpose of preventing the killing of fur-bearing animals 

 and returned to San Francisco November 6, 1868. 



Early in 1869 Lieuts. Eobert Henderson and W. B. Barnes, of the 

 Eevenue-Cutter Service, were ordered to the Pribilof Islands to prevent 

 ilhcit traffic and the violation of the revenue laws with particular ref- 

 erence to the act of July 27, 1868, section 6, forbidding the killing ot 

 fur-seals. 



On the same date, February 6, 1869, Capt. J. A. Henriques was or- 

 dered with the Wayanda into Alaskan waters from San Francisco. This 

 order was modified on the 23d of February so as to place him in com- 

 mand of the Lincoln instead of the Wayanda. His orders were sub- 

 stantially the same as those to Captain White of the previous year, and 

 the cruise covered the same ground. 



During this season the revenue cutter Reliance, under command of 

 Capt. James M. Selden, was stationed at Sitka. 



Under date of March 31, 1870, Capt. James M. Selden was directed 

 to cruise with the Reliance from Sitka to Uualaska, the seal islands, 

 Norton and Kotzebue sounds. 



On the 18th of April following the collector of customs at Sitka was 

 instructed to direct Captain Selden to be particular to note vessels in 

 the vicinity of the seal islands, and " those seized, giving names, dates, 

 and flag and specifications of seizure." 



May 25 of the same year the commanding officer of the revenue 

 steamer Lincoln, Capt. C. M. Scammon, was ordered with his command 

 on a cruise to the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and the islands of St. 

 George and St. Paul, Avith instructions to "protect the interests of the 

 Government in those waters." 



During the years 1871 and 1872 the Eevenue Cutter Reliance, under 

 the command of Capt. J. A. Webster, jr., was stationed at Sitka, and 



