FUR SEALS OR SEA BEARS. 229 



reason for this will be apparent, when it is understood 

 that the "sealskin" obtained from the Pribolov Islands 

 skins is next in quality to the Shetland, and is superior to 

 that produced from any other Sea Bear. The Northern 

 Sea Bears would long since have shared the fate of the 

 Southern species, if the United States government had 

 not, in a measure, limited the catch, by confining the right 

 to kill Sea Bears on the Pribilov Islands, to a company 

 working under a lease from the government, and subject 

 to government restrictions. When the lease of the North 

 American Commercial Company expired in 1909, the 

 government took over the management of its own busi- 

 ness at the rookeries on the Pribilov Islands; and during 

 1910 and 1911 twenty-five thousand skins taken by the 

 government on the Islands, were sold for eight hundred 

 thousand dollars. Since 1847 no female Sea Bears have 

 been killed on the islands. 



The Alaska Commercial Company, who held the lease 

 from 1869 to 1889, are said to have realized over $33,000,- 

 000, from the sale of furs during that time ; and it is es- 

 timated that since the purchase of Alaska in 1867, citizens 

 of the United States have received more than $50,000,000, 

 for skins taken on the Pribilov Islands. 



The payment of $7,000,000 to Russia for the territory of 

 Alaska has proved a profitable investment for the United 

 States; for, besides the profits that have accrued to in- 

 dividual citizens from the industry, the government has 

 realized over $10,000,000 from the sale or leasing of the 

 sealing privileges on the Pribilov Islands. 



These figures do not include the duties paid on dressed 

 skins, returned from London for consumption in the 

 United States. 



The Alaska Commercial Company paid the United 

 States an annual rental of $50,000, and a royalty of $2.25 

 per skin, for the privilege of killing 75,000 male seals 

 each year on the island of St. Paul, and 25,000 on the 

 island of St. George. 



Under the terms of the twenty-year lease secured by 

 the North American Commercial Company in 1889, no 

 dogs or vessels, other than those in the employ of the 

 company, were permitted to touch at, or to land persons 

 or merchandise on the islands of St. Paul and St. George, 



