APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 415 



season advanced, and as the killing by the Alaska Commercial Company proceeded, 

 the <laily, weekly, and monthly receipts were much smaller thnu ever before. Tlie 

 small number of pups killed iu the fall for food, the late appearance of the bulls 

 and cows the following spring in large schools as in the past, and the alarming 

 decrease in the daily, weekly, and monthly receipts of the Alaska Commercial Coni- 

 l)auy, and as a dernier ressort by said Company to secure their 100.000 skins, the 

 killing of smaller seals than was customary, attest conclusively that Mr. J. P. Man- 

 chester's observations were undoubtedly correct, that there is scarcity of seals, and 

 that within the last year or so they are, from some cause, decreasing far beyond the 

 increase. 



As this is the last year of the present lessees, and there is a new lease to be made, 

 I would respectfully suggest that it is of vital importance to the existence of seal 

 life that the annual quota in the future be limited to the taking of 60,000 skins as 

 the maximum from the Pribyloff Islands — 52,500 from St. Paul, Otter, and Walrus 

 Islands, and 7,500 from St. George Island — for the first five years of the lease. At 

 tbe expiration of said time the number to be increased or decreased as the Secretary 

 of the Treasury may deem advisable. The work of killing seals and salting skins 

 has been accomplished only through the assistance rendered by labour imported from 

 Ounalaska, as the number of labourers on the island was too small to complete the 

 task within the limited time allotted by the Government. By reference to the Cen- 

 sus you will see that the inhabitants are annually decreasing, and that the females 

 are largely in excess of the males. And here I will say I heartily concur with Mr. 

 T. F. Kyan, formerly Treasury Agent to these islands, whose letter to the Depart- 

 ment, bearing date tlie 8th April, 1889, upon the subject, was referred to me, and in 

 reply to Department letter to me bearing date the 6th May, 1889, will say that some 

 way to infuse new life into these few remaining peojile should be devised by the 

 Department at once and speedily executed before it is too late. It is impossible for 

 the Treasury Agent in charge to receive reliable information concerning the wishes 

 and conditions of the natives elsewliere on the Aleutian chain, whether they are 

 willing or ever would come to these islands to live. He has no facility for travelling 

 to either Otter or Walrus Islands, both within a range of 10 miles to this island. 

 And it is his duty to visit them occasionally, without it is through the courtesy 

 extended by the Alaska Commercial Company, and at no little expense to the Com- 

 pany. If it is deemed advisable to send a vessel along the Aleutian chain to secure 

 strong, healthy male labourers, who are willing to come to these islands and make 

 them their future homes, it should be done at once, under the supervision of a Treas- 

 ury Agent familiar with the conditions of St. Paul and St. George Islands, accompa- 

 nied by a resident physician from one of the islands. 



On the 27th .June the Alaska Commercial Company, through Dr. H. H. Mclntyre, 

 their General Manager, furnished me a boat manned and rigged, and I visited Otter 

 Island and found 2,000 killable seals, and many were in the water near by. Under 

 tiie present lease the lessees are not allowed to kill seals on this island. Consequently, 

 they are not molested, without taken by pirates, which has been the result once or 

 twice in the past. This island and Walrus should be included in the next lease. The 

 number of resident labourers on this island at present is 52, aged from 63 to 13 years, 

 classified as follows: clubbers, 6; stickers, 6; flippers, 8; skinners, 32. The number 

 of labourers from Ounalaska is 23 ; these men did general work, such as salting skins, 

 booking, bundling, and delivering them to the warehouse ready for shipment. This 

 entire work was formerly done by the natives, but of late years the native force 

 became too small, compelling the Alaska Commercial Company to introduce labour 

 from abroad. These men, however, are paid by the Alaska Commercial Company, 

 and the natives receive the entire proceeds of tlie catch. The number of seals killed 

 upon this island this season was 85,000, and sea-lions 25. The killing commenced on 

 the 5th June, and ended on the 3l8t July. The natives realized 33,759 dol. 80 c. for 

 the season's catch, which was distributed as per inclosed statement. On the 26th 

 June the United states man-of-war the "Thetis," Lieutenant-Commander Stockton, 

 arrived from Sitka; also the United States cutter the "Rush," Captain Shepard. 

 The "Thetis" left the following day at noon for St. Michael's e»)ro«ie for Point 

 85 Barrow, and the "Rush" on the 28th June for a cruize through Behring Sea. 

 On the 18th July, Mr. Web-ter, the Alaska Commercial Company's agent at 

 North-east Point, this ishnnd, sighted a schooner about 5 miles oft' the island. On 

 the 25th July the United States cutter the "Rush," Captain Shepard, again anchored 

 at the East Lauding, and informed me that he had seized the British schooners 

 "Minnie" and "Black Diamond." The "Minnie" was seized on the 17th July, and 

 had on board 418 seal-skins. The "Black Diamond" was seized on the 11th July, 

 with 76 seal-skins aboard. He also informed me that there were no less than thirty 

 schooners in Behring Sea with predatory intentions. If these piratical vessels are 

 allowed to butcher the seals regardless of age and sex, the seals of Alaska will soon 

 be exterminated. The piospcrity of these world-renowned rookeries is fast fading 

 away under the present annual catch allowed by law, and this indiscreet slaughter 



