242 COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



283 THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE ENTIRE CONTROL. 



British Case, Assistant Agciit A. W. Lavender, in his Eeport for 1890, 



Appendix, .jol. 



ill, "United fe'iy''' 



States No 2 



(1891)," p. 21. The Government should take absolute control of these islands. 



United States. 



con°^,2nd Sess., Trcasury Agent 0. J. Goft" likewise recommends — 



Ex. Doc. 49, pp. 

 6 9 

 Ibid., pp. 17, 18. That the Department take the entire matter of protecting these 



rookeries under its immediate supervision, for I regard any other sys- 

 tem of protection dangerous to the future of all interested. 



E,EMARKS OF UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS DEPLOR- 

 ING FREQUENT CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT AGENTS. 



The United States Commissioners make the following 



^ qualified allusion to the want of proper supervision and 



control by the Government Agents on the Pribyloft" Islands : 



United States In addition to the establishment of such Regulations as would prac- 

 Caae, pp. 378, 379. tically suppress pelagic sealing, it is strongly recommended that kill- 

 ing 00 the islands be subjected to somewhat more strict and competent 

 supervision. While it is not believed that any serious consequences 

 have resulted from looseness in this respect, the interests involved are 

 80 important, and in some respects so complicated, that too much care 

 cannot be given to the selection of the i^roper persons to be intrusted 

 with their conservation. The practice of frequent changes iu the 

 Government Agents is deplorable. They should be so familiar through 

 association and observation with the appearance of the various rook- 

 eries as to be the first to notice any changes which may take place. 



INEXPERIENCED MEN SENT TO THE ISLANDS. 



They elsewhere state that, in 1890, the Government 

 Agents sent to the islands were — 



Ibid. p. 342. new men, inexperienced in matters relating to seal life. 



This, it will be remembered, was at a time when the 

 rookeries were specially in need of competent supervision. 



ABSENCE OF PROPER INSTRUCTIONS TO GOVERNMENT 



AGENTS. 



As additional evidence of the general want of proper 

 control on the part of the Government, it is noteworthy 

 that no proper instructions appear to have been issued to 

 the Government Agents as to their duties on the islands. 

 Incidental proof of this is found in the evidence taken 

 before the Congressional Committee of 1888. 



CA;PTAIN BRYANT. 



As early as 1871 an allusion to the same matter is found 

 in a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, dated at St. 

 Paul Island, the 19th May of that year, where Captain 

 Bryant, the Government Agent, writes : 



H R 4 4th 284 In the absence of any iustrucxions I shall be guided by a certi- 



Con'"-., ist Sess., fied copy of the Act of Congress, authorizing the lease, and the 



Ex. "Doc. No. 83, conditions of the lease, as given me by the Company. 



p. 50. 



