CONDITION OF THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 



OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, 



Wd&hiftgt&n, />. ('., March 1, jsttf. 



SIR: Agreeably to your directions contained in Department letter, 

 June 9, 1894, hereto annexed, I left Victoria, British Columbia, July 23 

 last on the United States revenue steamer Rush for the Pribilof Islands 

 in Bering Sea and other points in the Territory of Alaska. I was 

 accompanied by Mr. Joseph Murray, inspector of salmon fisheries, and 

 Mr. John W. McGrath, secretary and stenographer. 



1 now have the honor to transmit a report, together with reports of 

 Mr. Murray and other official documents, bearing upon the subject. 



Our itinerary was as follows: 



July 23, sailed from Victoria, British Columbia; July 31, arrived at 

 Unalaska; August 1, at Unalaska; August 3 to 8, St. Paul Island 

 (Pribilof); August 8, St. George Island; August 9, Unalaska; August 

 11, Akutan; August 12, Belkofski; August 13, Sand Point; August 14, 

 Unga; August 1G, 17, Karluk (Kadiak Island); August 18, St. Paul 

 Island; August 21, Yakutat Bay; August 25, Sitka; August 20, 27, 

 Juneau; August 28, Wrangell; August 29, Kasau, Loriug, and Metlak- 

 hatla ; August 30, Fort Simpson ; September 3, Xanaimo and Vancouver. 



The area of Alaska Territory has been estimated at 531,000 square 

 miles almost one sixth of the total area of the United States. The 

 population, according to the Eleventh Censuses 32,052; of which total 

 4,298 are whites, 2,288 Mongolians, 23,531 Indians, and 1,823 mixed. 



The length of the coast line of Alaska, including the mainland and 

 islands, is 20,364 miles, as compared with 3,090 for the Pacific Coast, 

 2,043 miles for the Atlantic Coast, and 1,810 miles for the Gulf Coast, 

 including all islands. 



Some conception of the distances between the various points in the 

 Territory may be obtained from the following table: 



Statute 

 miles. 



From United States boundary on Portland Canal, Alaska, west to the island 



of Attn, approximately 2, 374 



From Sitka, 'Alaska, to the Pribilof Islands (seal islands) as a vessel sails 1,565 



From Port Towusend, Wash., to Uualaska 1, 949 



From Port Townsend, Wash., to the Pribilof Islands 2, 189 



From San Francisco to Unalaska 2, 37 1 



From San Francisco to Pribilof Islands 2, 611 



From San Francisco to island of Attu 3, 282 



From San Francisco due west to meridian of Attu 3, 513 



From San Francisco due east to Washington 2, 456 



Between the Pribilof Islands and the city of Washington there is a 

 difference of time of six and one fourth hours; betsveen the Pribilof 

 Islands and San Francisco, three hours. 

 4 



