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ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 



Value of Victoria, British Columbia, sealing vessels, estimated by A. R. Milne, esq., 

 surveyor of the port of Victoria, and T. T. Williams, of San Francisco, August, 1889. 



a Actual result, $198,000. 



6 Actual result, $171,350. 



Slight errors appear to have been made in footing the above, but the 

 totals are as reported respectively by Milne and Williams. 



The above estimates include cost of outfit for a season's cruise, com- 

 prising boats, guns, spears, ammunition, provisions, etc. 



The schooner Araunah, formerly belonging to the Victoria sealing 

 fleet, was seized by the Russian Government July 1, 1888. 



Mr. Milne estimates the cost of a sealing venture as follows: 



Wages of crews and hunters per vessel $7, 000 



Insurance, 7 per cent of $8,000 560 



Provisions, salt, ammunition, etc 3,000 



Total per vessel, average 10,560 



He also estimates the annual average catch at 2,000 skins per ves- 

 sel, but as a matter of fact the average has been for Victoria vessels 

 during the last four years only about 1,288 skins per vessel annually. 



Mr. Williams estimates the expense of a sealing trip as follows : 



For five boats $500 



Five Marlin rifles, at $35 175 



Five shotguns, at $35 [[ 175 



Two extra guns 70 



Salt for skins 200 



Five thousand rounds of ammunition " 125 



Insurance, one-third of a year 175 



Captain's wages four months 400 



Ten men at $35, and 5 at $20 per month ." 1,800 



Paid hunters, 1,600 skins at $2 per skin 3, 200 



Provisions, 20 men 4 months at $8 per month 640 



Total per vessel, average .. 7,460 



