196 



COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Mr. W. H. Dall, who visited the islands in 1868, may also 

 be quoted to the same effect, as follows : 



"Alaska and At first the fur-seal were killed in immense numbers by tlie Rus- 

 its Resources," sians. At one time 300,000 skins were destroyed, in ordir that the 

 P-iSC. market might not be overstocked. It was only when their numbers 



were very greatly diminished that the number anunaily killed was 



limited, and the other previously mentioned restrictions were imposed. 



01' late years not more than 50,000 fur-seal were allowed to be killed 



annually. 



50,000 ANNUALLY, CONSIDERED A SAPE MAXIMUM 



NUMEER. 



It is evident from the foregoing remarks that an annual 

 killing for skins of about 50,000 seals upon the Pribyloff 

 Islands was thought to be, as the result of experiences 

 gained by the Russians, a safe maximum killing at times 

 when the rookeries upon these islands were in excellent 

 condition. 



As a matter of fact, it appears that, under the Rus.^au 

 regime, for a period of eighty-one years, from the discovery 

 of the islands to 1800, the average annual killing reached 

 about 34,000 only. 



British Com 

 missioners' Re 

 port, para. 39. 



226 



CESSION OF ALASKA TO UNITED STATES IN 1867. 



In 1867, Eussian America, now known as Alaska, was 

 ceded by Eussia to the United States and tlie Pribyloff 

 Islands as a part of the territory passed into the control of 

 the United States. 



ENORMOUS SLAUGHTER RESULTING IN 1868. 



Though the Treaty of Cession was concluded as early 



as the 30th March, 1867, the Eussian-American Company 



niEsioners^R™- retained possession of the Pribyloff Islands throughout 



p^ItiP^''?'^^^- the summer or sealing season of that year. In the follow- 



BUS Report, p. 28. in g year (1808) a number of private adventurers, chiefly 



of N^irth^^neTi-^^'^^""^ ^^^ Uuitcd Statcs, took possession of the islands 



can Pinnipeds," and proceeded to carry out an altogether unprecedented 



^^bauV^" Alas- slaughter of seals, in the entire absence of Government 



ka,"p.497. supervision, to the estimated number of 240,000 or 250,000 



on the Island of St. Paul, and 30,000 or 35,000 on the 



Island of St. George. 



VALUE OF PRIBYLOFF ISLANDS AT FIRST UNKNOWN IN 



THE UNITED STATES. 



United states It is .Contended in the Case of the United States that the 

 Case, pp. 74-77. ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ furscals, and especially that of the Pribyloff' 

 Islands as the breeding-places of this animal, was well 

 known to the United States at the time of the acquisition 

 of Alaska, and constituted a chief object in connection 

 with the purchase of that territoiy. This assertion has 



See p. 71. been disproved by the facts quoted on a former page of 

 this Counter Case. Had such been tlie case, it is impossible 

 to believe that the United States would so have neglected 

 the protection of the breeding-islands. 



