798 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 2nd day of December, A.d. 

 1892. 



[seal,.] (Signed) John Coffee, 



A N'otary Public in and for the City and County of 



San Francisco, State of California. 



Deposition of George Wester. 



State of California, City and County of San Francisco, s.s. 



George Wester, of San Francisco, being- duly sworn, deposes and 

 says: 



1. I am a resident of San Francisco, and have been so for the past 

 thirteen years, seven of which I have devoted exclusively to sealing. 



I was captain of the sealing-vessel "Emma and Louisa" this year, 

 1892, said vessel being owned and managed by C. D, Ladd, of the city 

 of San Fraucisco, merchant, and doiug business at 529 and 531, Kearny 

 Street, in said city. 



2. I arrived back from my sealing voyage on or about the lltli day 

 of July last i)ast, and had on board i,342 skins. On entering my ves- 

 sel that day I was told by the Collector of Customs that before landing 

 my cargo my skins would have to be inspected by an exi^ert appointed 

 by the Government for that purpose. 



. 3. On or about the 12tli of that mouth I came on board my vessel 

 about 11 A. M., and found the hatches open and men engaged throw- 

 ing the skins on deck. I asked the man standing at the hatch 

 176 by whose authority this was being done. He replied that it was 

 by Mr. Ladd's orders. I noticed a stranger there about 6 feet in 

 height, fair complexion, sandy moustache, and about 30 years of age, 

 but whose name I did not learn, apparently counting and sorting the 

 skins as to sizes. I asked him who he was, to which he replied that he 

 was the expert appointed by the Customs to examine the skins. I 

 then asked him if he was competent to do so, and he replied that he 

 thought so. 1 again asked him if he could tell a fur-seal skin from a 

 sea-lion skin, whereat he smiled. The examination given was very 

 superficial, attention occupied not exceeding three hours and a half, no 

 more than was required to count and sort the skins as to sizes. The 

 skins were immediately trucked up to the place of business of C. D. 

 Ladd, on Kearny Street, in this city. 



4. Skins that are in the rough and just taken out of the salt require 

 the most critical scrutiny to tell whether they are males or females, 

 and in my opinion it can then be only a matter of guess-work, except 

 in the case of an old bull. In my opinion, it is a matter of imi)ossi- 

 bility, even Avith the closest scrutiny, for any expert to say that any 

 skin was the skin of a female that had been large with pup, and from 

 which such pup had been cut. 



(Signed) George Wester. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 1st day of December, 1892. 

 [seal.] (Signed) Lincoln Sonntag, Notary Fuhlic. 



