SEALSKIN INDUSTRY IN GREAT BRITAIN. 565 



That down to within one or two years ago the skins so purclutsed by 

 the principal buyers, or at least a great majority of 

 them, were after such purchase consigned to the firm ^^c. w.^ Martin & 

 of O. W. Martin & Sons, by whom they were dressed, .lyeraof Jkiufforma- 

 and the most of the skins also dyed by them, and hav- -Cieyg**^ principal 

 ing been so dressed and dyed, they are then sent to "^^' ' 

 the dealers and manufacturers of fur clothing in various parts of the 

 world. 



("5) That the history of the fur-seal skin business, and the sources of 

 its su]>ply, have been fully and correctly described by deponent's part- 

 nei", Mr. Emil Teichmann, and deponent was present at the time when 

 the deposition of Mr. Teichmann was dictated to the 

 shortliand writer. The principal present sources of the guppty^of swC*" °^ 

 sui)ply of the seal-skin market are what are known as 

 the Alaska catch, the Copper Islands catch, and what is known as the 

 Northwest catch. As stated by Mr. Teichmann, the skins of these 

 several catches are readily distinguished from each other, and separate 

 sets of forms or patterns are used by deponent's firm in sorting and siz- 

 ing the skins of the three catches. These differences are emphasized 

 by the fact that the skins of the three catches are of different values 

 and produce in the market different prices. 



The skins of the Alaska and Copper Island catcb are almost exclus- 

 ively skins of male seals and the skins of the North- j^i^^^^ ^^^ c 

 west capture are in like manner largely the skins of skins? ^ ^^'^ '^^^^^^ 

 female seals. What is now called the Northwest catch 

 was for many years known as the Victoria catch, and toHa'catch^^' °^ ^^^ 

 prior to 1884 the skins of this catch came to the Lon- 

 don market consigned largely by the firm of Hermann Liebes & Co. to 

 the deponent's firm and averaged for many years about 10,000 or 

 lL',000 skins per year. In 1884 the skins of this catch 

 began to increase largely in number, and the numbers ,vM^"t''!atdi iu issT.*^'" 

 which since that year have arrived in the London 

 mai ket are stated with substautial accuracy upon the lists annexed 

 to the affidavits of my partners Messrs. Fraser & Teichmann. 



(4) Deponent says that what may be described as the fur-skin busi- 

 ness lias been built up, that is the product, the fur-seal 

 skins, have been made an article of fashion and com- Pmsidn business; 

 merce, and the sales of such skins largely increased, andbuiit up!"' " 

 tlie methods of dressing and dyeing the same have been 

 perfected almost entirely through the influence and joint endeavors of 

 the Alaska Commercial Company, the North American Commercial 

 Company, the liussian Seal Skin Company, deponent's own firm, and 

 the firm of C. W. Martin & Sons, and their jiredecessors in the city of 

 London. 



That the business at the present time has attained the rank of an im- 

 portant industry, in which there is embarked in the 

 city of London a large amount of capital and U])on bu^S* ''^^''''* °^ 

 which there is dependent a large number of workmen 

 and eini>loyes. The amount of capital from time to capital invested 

 time invested in the business is correctly stated, de- •in'i ^ynae^ paid in 

 poiient believes, by Mr. Teichmann, at as much as 

 i: 1,000,000, and until witliin a year or two the numbers of persons de- 

 ])eiiding upon the industry for their support has likewise been correctly 

 stated by Mr. Teichmann, ;ii»p;oximate]y at !{,(***** persons, receiving on 

 an average a weekly wage of 'M shillings, and most of them having fam- 

 ilies dependent upon their labors for their support. 



