COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 193 



In 1868, the Russian control being withdrawn, an excessive slaughter of seals was 

 permitted to oocur, over 250,000 being killed. In 1869 and 1870, a partial but 

 very incomplete control of the islands was established by the United States, and 

 the number of seals killed in these years is only approximately known. 



Though it was suggested by several competent authorities that the Government 

 should assume sole contrcd of the seal intei'ests on the Pribylotf Islands, these 

 interests were vested in a Commercial Coifpany by lease in 1870. 



Notwithstanding the experience gained in previous years, the number of seals per- 

 mitted to be killed for skins annually on the islands was at the same time experi- 

 mentally fixed at 100,000. The actual number killed exceeded this amount. 



The "quota" thus established became in effect a fixed number, and was not reduced 

 by the Government during the entire twenty years' term of lease of the Com- 

 pany, though repeatedly mentioned inofficial Reports as being too great. 



The efl'ects of this excessive killing can now be traced, in the condition of the seal 

 rookeries, as lecorded in the contemporaneous Reports of various years. 



The restriction of Killing on the islands to young males did not obviate the result of 

 excessive killing; but, on the contrary, induced serious changes affecting the 

 organization of the rookeries and vitality of the se;ils. 



No regulations heretofore devised can render the killing of fur-seals upon their 

 breeding-islanils other than dangerous; and in the particular case of the 

 Pribyloff Islands, the method of management has been imperfect in conception 

 and execution. 



RUSSIAN AND UNITED STATES MANAGEMENT. 



This subject divides itself naturally into two i.)eriods. viz., 

 that of the Russian control and that of tlie subsequent 

 control by the United States. It is quite apparent, from 

 an examination of the history of the islands, and particu- 

 larly from the collection and discussion of the known facts 

 set out in the lleport of the British Behring Sea Cofnmis- 

 sioners, tliat the evils which have arisen on the islands are 

 largely attributable to the methods of management and 

 control there employed, which have from the first been 

 imperfect, not only in conception, but also and to even a 

 greater degree in execution. 



The immediate interest in these methods on the breeding- 

 islands, is obviously greatest in regard to the management 

 by the United States, but important conclusions of fact 

 may be deduced from a comparison of the two periods, that 

 before and that after the cession of Alaska to the United 

 States. 



223 STATEMENTS IN UNITED STATES CASE RELATING 

 TO RUSSIAN MANAGEMENT INACCURATE. 



In the Case of the United States, a brief statement is TTni^ed states 

 made respecting the management during the Russian ''"*'' ^'" ^^^' 

 regime, by which it is made to appear that, from tlie time 

 at which the Russian-American Company was organized 

 in 1799, an efficient control and system was adopte(l, under 

 wbich the fur-seals resorting to tlie islands continuously 

 increased throughout, and up to the date of the cession of 

 Alaska to the United States. This contention is, however, 

 very far from being in accord with the historical facts, 

 which are generally well known, chiefly by means of the 

 writings of the Russian chronicler, Veniaminov. These 

 facts will be found in the form of a Suinnuiryin the Rexiort 

 of the British Behring Sea Commissioners. 



B S, PT VIII 13 



