226 



FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



The transfer, as above stated, of inercliandise and cash represented 

 no cost to tlie new lessees, since the former was native store goods: 

 was all salable, and was soon resold to the natives for a slight advance 

 over the figures given above. Tbe cash is that coin (silver dollars and 

 half dollars chietljO which is kept in circulation by the company among 

 the jieople, plus their credit books at tlie village stores. 



Tabic showing ihc number of fur-seal skins taken from the Jiussian hauling grounds on the 

 Commander Islands, Bering Sea, since 187 1 and shipped io the markets.^ 



Tear. 



1871. 

 1872- 

 1873. 

 1874. 

 1875. 

 1876. 

 1877. 

 1878. 

 1879. 

 1880. 

 1881. 



2, 694 

 2,414 

 3,127 

 1,528 

 2,949 

 3,142 

 4,002 

 3,330 

 4,207 



Tear. 



Robbens 

 Island. 



1882. 

 1883. 

 1884. 

 1885. 

 1886. 

 1887. 

 1888. 

 1889. 

 !>:90. 



4,106 

 2,049 

 3,819 

 1,838 



Total 



Bering i 

 and I 

 Copper 

 island.s. 



40, 514 I 

 26, 650 j 

 50, 034 I 

 41,737 r 

 54,591 

 46,347 i 

 47,362 ; 

 52,755 ! 

 52,502 ! 



Total. 



44, 620 



28, 699 

 53, 853 

 43, 575 

 54, 591 



46, 347 



47, 362 

 52, 755 

 52, 502 



769, 863 



'Bering and Copper islands constitute what is known as the Commander group. Robbens Reef or 

 I.sland is a small islet, or rock, rather, about 30 miles off shore from the east shore of Sakhalen Island, 

 in the Okotsk Sea; it belongs to Russia also. These skins were all taken under the lease to Hutchin- 

 son, Kohl Philippaeu.s & Co., and paid a tax of $1.50 to the Imperial treasury for eacli .skin taken. 

 This lease expired in November, 1890, and at the date of this report it is not known definitely as to its 

 renewal. 



Uufler Russian nianageiuont the yield from tln'si' i.slaiuls I Lave t!ie record of, as 

 follows : 



1862 4, 000 1865 4, 000 1868 12, 000 



1863 4, 500 1866 4, 000 1869 24, 000 



1864 5,000 1867 4,000 ' 1870 24,000 



No account of the proportion that Robbens Reef gives to this total for each year 

 between 1862 and 1870 has been found by the writer. 



THE PELAGIC CATCH FROM 1886 TO DATE. 



[With the year 188S this work of liunting fur seals in the open waters of the ocean by white men, 

 outfittinj^ vessels, and hiring hunters, ])racticany begins : it is the first year that the British hunters 

 ever got into Bering Sea.] 



Table shoioing the number of fur-seal skins taken by the pelagic sealers and 2)0achers i)i the 

 yorth Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. 



Pelagic and poaching catch of 1886: Skins. 



Landed at Victoria, British Columbia, by British scalers 25, 538 



Lauded at Victoria, British Columbia, by American sealers 5, 000 



Landed at San Fraucisco, Cal. , by American sealers 2, 944 



Seized in Bering Sea by tlie United States Revenue-Marine cutter Bush.. 2, 177 



Total 35, 659 



Pelagic and poaching catch of 1887 : 



Lauded at Victoria, British Columbia, by British sealers 17, 078 



Landed at Victoria, British Columbia, by American sealers 2, ~\iG 



Landed at San Francisco, Cal. , by American sealers 6, 502 



Seized in Beriug Sea by cutters Bush and Bear 12, 34."> 



Total . . . r 38, 461 



