SEALSKIN INDUSTRY IN GREAT BRITAIN. 675 



he has a g^eneral and detailed knowledge of the history of the business 

 of dealing in fur-seal skins in the city of London, and of the character 

 and differences which distiuguish the several kinds of ^.„ 



, . . , , 1 ^ mi i. x- 1 i. Different species. 



skins coming on the market. That tor many years last 

 past the fur'scal skins coming on the London market have been known 

 as, first, the Alaska catch, which are the skins of seals killed uidou the 

 Pribilof Islands situated in the Bering Sea; second, the Copper Island 

 catch, which are the slcins of seals killed on the Kommondorski and 

 Eobbeu Islands in the Russian waters. The Eobben Island skins were 

 formerly separated from the Kommondorski Islands and were of inferior 

 quality, and it is only within the last eight or ten years that the Eobben 

 Island skins, which are inconsiderable in number, have been presum- 

 ably mingled Avith the skins of seals caught on the i^ortiiwest catch. 

 Copper Islands and included in the term " Copper 

 catch;" third, the Northwest catch, which are skins of seals killed 

 in the open Pacific or Bering Sea. 



That the skins of these several catches are readily distinguished from 

 each other, and the skins of the different sexes may be g^j^^^ distin-uisha- 

 as readily distinguished from each other as the skins of bie. 

 the different sexes of any other animal. I sliould esti- 

 mate the proportion of female skins included within Mostly females 

 the Northwest catch at at least 75 per cent, and I should *'*^®"' 

 not be surprised nor feel inclined to contradict an estimate of upwards 

 of 90 per cent. My sorter, who actually handles the skins, estimates 

 the number of female skins in the Northwest catch at 90 per cent. 



One means of distinguishing the skins of the Northwest catch from 

 those of the other catches is the fact that they are i^orti^.^est skins 

 pierced with shot or spear holes, having been killed in pierced\vitii shot. 

 the open sea, and not as in tne case of the Copper and 

 and Alaska catches, killed upon land, with clubs. 



The differences between the Copper and Alaska skins are difficult to 

 describe so that they can be understood by any person who has no 

 practical knowledge of furs, but to anyone skilled in the business there 

 are a])parent differences in color between the Copper and Alaska skins, 

 and a difference in the length and qualities of the hairs which compose 

 the fur, and there are also apparent slight differences in the shape of 

 the skins. 



The differences between the skins of the three catches are so marked 

 that they have always been expressed in the different 

 prices obtained for the skins. I have attended the ^^^^l':''^ "^ '^^*''''''"* 

 sales for many years, and am able to make this state- 

 ment from my own knowledge. The average prices obtained at the 

 sales of the last year's catch, for instance, were as follows: For the 

 Alaska skins, 125 shillings per skin; for the Copper skins, 68 shillings 

 per skin; and for the Northwest skins, 53 shillings per skin. 



That the skins purchased by the dei)onent are inirchased on his own 

 account and on account of others resident in Canada and tlie United 

 States and the Continent, and he believes it is a fact that he is the 

 largest commission merchant in the fur business. 



That the skins so piu-chased are consigned to various dressers and 

 dyers, the principal of whom are the firm of C. W. ^^,^,1^,^ ^^.^3 

 Martin & Sons and George Rice, and deponent himself 

 is the landlord of a factory worked by Frederick Smith & Co., which is 

 the oldest firm of dyers of fur-seal skins, and of late years they have 

 also become dressers. 



