COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 235 



ADMITTED IN UNITED STATES CASE THAT QUOTA RE- 

 MAINED UNALTERED WHILE SEALS STATIONARY OR 

 DECREASING IN NUMBER. 



It has already been shown that it was in the power of the 

 Secretary of the Treasury to reduce the number of seals to 

 be killed annually on the islands, but that though repeated 

 official Keports spoke of the deterioration of the rookeries, 

 no such reduction took place. It is, in fact, in the Case xjnited states 

 now presented by the United States, alleged that, from case, p. i64. 

 1880 to 1884-85, the number of seals resorting to the islands 

 remained stationary, and that in 1884 a marked decrease 

 began, which has since continued. TLiis contention is else- Eiuott census 

 where disjn^oved, but even if it be admitted, it is clearly Report, p. 49. 

 apparent that if the number remained stationary during the ca^e,p^m^'^*^^' 

 years mentioned, the recurrence of climatically disastrous ..i^ry^nt, in 

 years like those of 1836, 1859, and 1876 would have pro- NorthTmrdcau 

 duced most serious effects. It is, indeed, evident that ^g^nnipeds," p. 

 275 only the continued increase of the seals during a suc- 

 cession of favourable years, renders them able to 

 withstand successfully the occasional natural reverses to 

 which they are liable; while from 1884, when it is asserted 

 that a steady diminution first began, the Pribyloff' Islands 

 must be admitted to have been in a still more alarming 

 condition. 



QUOTA UNCHANGED DURING LEASE OF ALASKA COM- 

 MERCIAL COMPANY. 



Notwithstanding this, however, no change in the number 

 to be killed, or "quota," was made during the entire term 

 of lease of the Alaska Commercial Company: and it was 

 not till 1890 (this being the first year of the new lease of the 

 North American Commercial Company) that the "quota" 

 was reduced from 100,000 to 60,000. 



The British Commissioners, after pointing out the power 

 of regulation nominally vested in the Secretary of the 

 Treasury, write respecting the "quota" of 100,000: 



Practically, however, and. ou grounds not publicly explained, it British Com- 



remained unaltered, and became a fixed limit. mismoners' Ile- 



' port, para. 47. 



And, further : 



When a decrease became apparent on the islands, prudence should ibid., paras, 

 have dictated some curtailment of the annual slaughter there. . . . 71-73. ' 

 No such curtailment, however, occurred. The Company holding the 

 lease of these islands on fixed terms were not interfered with, but 

 continued to take their full legal quota of skins without regard to 

 the risk to seal life as a whole. Not only so, but instead of reducing 

 the catch, the standard of weight of skins taken on the islands was 

 steadily lowered so as to include a younger class of seals under the 

 designation of "killables." 



« * # « • 



INTERESTS OF THE LESSEE COMPANY ALONE REGARDED. 



The Company holding the lease of tlie Pribyloff Islands had, of 

 course, its own interests in view, and the period of the lease was 

 drawing to a close; but it must be added that no explanation has 



