370 



APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



At the present time, there are 

 about 5,000 such skins in the ware- 

 house, and if about 3,000 skins a- 

 year be taken, then in a few years 

 a quantity will be accumulated 

 which will require a correspond- 

 ingly large place of storage. I am 

 inclined to the opinion that in case 

 the sending of such skins to Russia 

 and foreign markets should prove 

 unprofitable, an attempt might be 

 made to disj)ose of them in the 

 Colonies for making garments and 

 coats, which, if the tanning is good, 

 may be substituted for sheep- skin 

 coats. 



As an experiment a few garments 

 might be made from the skins now 

 lying unused in warehouses. 



In conclusion, I have the honour 

 to report to the Board of Admin- 

 istration that, according to informa- 

 tion now received, the fur-seal rook- 

 eries in all places, but particularly 

 on the Island of St. Paul, are so 



crowded that all available 

 50 i)oints for breeding are tilled, 



and they appear to be ade- 

 quate, so that an extension of the 

 catch is deemed indispensable; and 

 this will be carried into eft'ect next 

 year. 



At the present time there are 

 about 5,000 of them in the ware- 

 houses, and by taking 3,000 every 

 year a considerable number may 

 accumulate in a few years, requir- 

 ing a corresponding space for stor- 



age. 



I suggest that, if it is not yet ex- 

 pedient to send gray seal-skins to 

 Eussia and to foreign markets for 

 sale, then we might try the experi- 

 ment of using them in the Colonies 

 for robes and overcoats, which, after 

 being well dressed, might take the 

 place of the common sheep-skin 

 coats. 



By way of experiment a few robea 

 might be made of these skins, 

 which so far remain unused in the 

 warehouses. 



In conclusion, I have the honour 

 to report to the Board of Admin- 

 istration that, from information 

 which has now been received, the 

 seal rookeries everywhere, and es- 

 pecially on the Island of St. Paul, 

 have increased to such an extent 

 that all the places which they fre- 

 quent are entirely filled, and there 

 is such a need of room for them 

 that it is necessary to increase 

 considerably the number of seals 

 killed; and this shall be done next 

 year. 



No. 28. 



Letter from the Chief Manager of 

 the Russian- American Colonies 

 to the Board of Administration of 

 the Russian-American Company. 

 Written from the Colonies, Janu- 

 ary 13, 1859. 



CONCERNING- FUR-SEALS. 



In accordance with the instruc- 

 tions of the Board of Administra- 

 tion in despatch JSo. 097, dated the 

 5th June, 1858, and received on the 

 2nd November, there were sent by 

 the ship " Kamchatka," in addition 

 to the 10,000 ordered by former 

 instructions, 10,664 skins which 

 had been prepared and packed 



No. 28. 



Letter from the Chief Manager of 

 the Russian- American Colonies 

 to the Board of Administration of 

 the Russian- American Company. 

 Written from the Colotiies, Janu- 

 ary 13, 1859. 



CONCERNING FUR-SEAXS. 



In accordance with the instruc- 

 tions of the Board of Administra- 

 tion given in despatch No. 697 of 

 the 5th June, 1858, received on the 

 2nd l«)ovember, besides the 10,000 

 seal-skins ordered by previous in- 

 structions, 10,664 were sent by the 

 ship ''Kamchatka" of those which 

 had been prepared and packed 



