APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 863 



230 VII.— DECLARATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE FUR TRADE. 



No. 1. 



Declaration of Mr. Richard Henry Poland. 



I, Eichard Henry Poland, of No. 110, Queen Victoria Street, in the 

 City of London, fur mercliaut, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows : 



1. I was formerly a partner in the firm of Messrs. P. E. Poland and 

 Son, of 110, Queen Victoria Street, aforesaid, which has been estab- 

 lished since 1784. I have lately retired from business ; prior to my retire- 

 ment 1 had been engaged in business for fifty-four years. 



2. My house in the course of their business have dealt in very large 

 quantities of seal-skins, and I am, therefore, I may say, very familiar 

 with these skins. There are three chief classes of seal- skins dealt with 

 in the London market, viz., Alaskan skins, Copper Island skins, and 

 what is known as the north-west catch. 



3. As regards the difference between Copper and Alaskan skins, I 

 have always considered that the chief difference was that Alaskan fur 

 was a better quality, that is to say, denser than the fur of the Copper 

 Island seals. This is the difference which makes the Alaskan skins 

 fetch more in the market than Copper skins. The difference in price is 

 also, I think, influenced by the fact that the people responsible for 

 slaughtering the animals on the Pribyloff" Islands are more successful 

 and skilled in flaying, curing, and selecting than the Copper Island 

 people. 



4. There are also other differences between the Coppers and Alaskans, 

 viz., the difference in colour of fur, the fur of the Coppers being on the 

 whole of a more bronzey-yellow colour than the Alaskan. 



5. Any other differences besides those I have mentioned, such as 

 length of the fur and shape of the skin, are very trivial, and hardly 

 noticeable. In fact, I do not consider there is any difference in point 

 of shape at all. 



6. In inspecting the shipments made through Messrs. Lampson from 

 the Pribyloff" Islands, I have from time to time noticed the presence 

 amongst them of skins which were undistinguishable from Copper Island 

 skins, and also in the same way I have noticed amongst Copper Island 

 consignments skins which are evidently of the Alaskan description. 

 I have also noticed skins in both classes which in a lesser degree 

 resemble the other class. 



7. I have never considered at all the question of what regulations 

 are necessary. I have not sufficient information to enable me to form 

 any judgment on the subject, but I should not approve of any regula- 

 tions which would totally put an end to the north-west catch. This 

 would, in fact, be creating a monopoly in the lessees of the islands, and 

 would, in my opinion, be injurious to the fur trade business. The 

 natural tendency of all monopolists is to lessen the output, and so raise 

 the price in the market. 



(Signed) E. H. Poland. 



Declared by the within-named Eichard Henry Poland, at No. 110, 

 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, this 29th day of November, 

 1892. 

 Before me ; 



(Signed) Henry B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths. 



