APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 867 



ill giving any opinion. I should not, however, be in favour of any reg- 

 ulations which would altogether put an end to the nortli-west catch, 

 and which would confine the taking of seals to the islands owned by 

 the Companies, as this, it seems to me, would place the control of the 

 fur-seal trade entirely in the hands of those Companies. I think that 

 the existence of a monoply such as would thus be created would not be 

 beneficial to the fur-seal trade. 



And I make this declaration, conscientiously believing the contents 

 to be true, and by virtue of " The Statutory Declaration Act, 1835.'' 



(Signed) William Henry Smith. 



Declared by the above-mentioned William Henry Smith at the For- 

 eign Office, London, this 2Gth day of November, 1892. 

 Before me: 



(Signed) Henry B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths, 



No. 6. 



Examination of Mr. Senry Moxon, of the Firm of Culverwell, BrooJcs, 

 and Co., on his Deposition sicorn in June, 1892, for the United States, 

 hut which has not been printed in the Appendix to the United States 

 Case. 



Q. I believe, Mr. Moxon, that you made a deposition at the request 

 of the gentlemen representing the United States in June last? — A. Yesj 

 I did. 



Q. Is this a copy of the Declaration you then made? — A. It is. 



Q. Will you please sign it for the purposes of identification? 



(Mr. Moxon signed the document.) 



Q. Who supi)lied you with that copy? — A. The gentleman who took 

 my deposition. I forget his name. 



Q. You are a partner in the firm of Culverwell, Brooks, and Co? — 

 A. Yes; I am. 



Q. That firm has been established upwards of seventy years? — A. 

 Yes. 



Q. They are brokers in hides, furs, and skins of various sorts? — A. 

 Yes. 



Q. How long have you been personally in business? — A. About 

 thirty-three years. 



Q. How long has your firm been connected particularly with the seal- 

 skin business? — A. More or less, of course, since its establishment, but 

 particularly in the case of north-west seals during the last eight years. 

 Q. That would be from about 1884. You do not do any busi- 

 233 ness in Commander Islands or Pribyloft skins? — A. No, except 

 that I sold the whole of the island catch of 1870 for Messrs. 

 Eothschild, to whom it was consigned. 



Q. Your business is now entirely confined to what is called the north- 

 west catch? — A. Yes. 



Q. When did the north-west catch first assume any important dimen- 

 sions?— A. In 1886. 



Q. Will you explain to me, please, what, in your opinion, was the 

 cause of the sudden growth of this catch? — A. Mainly the opening of 

 the London market by the facility for transit of the goods by the Cana- 

 dian Pacific, 



