250 COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN 



engaged that year in protecting the seal rookeries, and 

 says: 



H. R. 5 1 h There is no reason why the catch at the seal islands cannot be stolen 

 KepoiVxI. S '"^"-^ ^^'^^' ^^ anybody is disposed to. I believe I conld take a vessel 

 pp. 248, 243. ' ^ith twenty good men and go there and steal the whole catch and go 

 away with it. There is more than a million dollars' worth of seal- 

 skins at the mercy of any marauder, and has been for years. 



MR. W. PALMER, 1890. 



In a paper read before the Biological Society in Wash- 

 ington, Mr. W. Palmer, as the result of bis investigations 

 in 1890 on the Pribyloff Islands, speaks as follows regard- 

 ing tlie inefficiency of the protection accorded to these 

 islands ; 



St"eam''''octo "er dealers have no doubt about the fate that would be their lot if 

 29, 1891. caught poaching on the Commander Islands, or within 3 miles of their 



shores, and accordingly have given them a wide berth, but they have 

 heretofore done as they pleased about the Pribylott' Islands, and even 

 on the rookeries. In the absence of the revenue-cutters the islands 

 are utterly defenceless, and liable at any time to be raided. 



AGENT A. W. LAVENDER IN 1890. 



In an official Eeport, dated the 24th October, 1890, and 

 written from St. George Island, Assistant Agent A. W. 

 Lavender writes as follows respecting the inadequate 

 means available for protecting the rookeries: 



Appendix, v'o^K . ^ ^*"^® again to request you to do your best to obtain arms and ammu- 

 iii, "United nition for these islands, and hope that you will be able to secure them, 

 States No. 2 for without them the rookeries cannot be protected in a proper manner. 

 United ' states '^^® °^^^ ^^^®^ *^^* answered for the protection of the rookeries belong 

 Senate, 51 st *" *^® natives, and are of but little use. In addition to the five rifiea 

 Cong., 2nd Sess., owned by the natives, the Company has found small Colt's rifles and 

 Ex.l)oc.49,p.33. one large Sharp's, with very little ammunition for any of them. 



REMARKS ON INADEQUATE PROTECTION BY BRITISH 



COMMISSIONERS. 



After quoting much evidence respecting raids, the Brit- 

 ish Commissioners write : 



British Com- I* "^'^^ *^"s ^® ^^^^ *^^^* raiding on the Pribyloft' Islands has been 

 missioners' Re- carried on persistently at least since i8fi8, and that from that date 



port, paras. 701, 293 the authorities have known of the raids, and from the earliest time 



""^" urgently demanded precautions in prevention In 



short, under present regulations and arrangements, there is no difficulty 

 or danger whatever to vessels raiding along shore any night, or in any 

 of the frequent fogs at several of the best rookeries, except when a 

 revenue-cruizer chances to be close by, an occasional occurrence well 

 known to every marauding schooner. 



The British Commissioners add: 



British Com- It may be pointed out that in no case yet has it been shown or 

 missioners' Ke- proven that any British vessel ever engaged in raidino: on the Pribv- 

 porD,para. .60. loff Islands. "* 



GREAT INJURY CAUSED BY RAIDS. 



They further allude to the very injurious results of raid- 

 ing, writing: 



Ibid., para. 762. It is by far the most destructive form of sealing, combining all the 

 disadvantages and none of the advantages of the other forms. The 

 killing is chiefly of breeding females, as the raiders cannot penetrate far 

 enough inland to obtain the young bachelors or immature female seals. 



