868 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Q. How did the opening of the Canadian Pacific open the London 

 market? — A. It enabled them to consign the catches to brokers direct 

 for sale instead of, as they were formerly compelled to do, sell on the 

 spot to dealers who of course only gaye ruinous prices, which did not 

 yield a large enough profit to encourage pelagic sealing. 



Q. Then since 1886 it has been the habit of the majority of schooner 

 owners to consign direct to a London broker? — A. The majority, yes. 



Q. What are the names of the brokers to whom they chiefly con- 

 sign"? — A. My firm have had the bulk of the consignments. Messrs. 

 Lampson have also had a certain proportion, but Messrs. Lampsou's 

 consignments are not from the sealers direct, but from dealers who 

 have bought them on the spot from the schooners. 



Q. Have you ever had to consider the proportion of females in the 

 north-west catch? — A. Not until this question arose, because prior to 

 that no distinction was ever made, either in buying skins or in selling 

 them. They are simply sorted in quality and size, and not for the 

 question of sex. 



Q. Have you, with the view to informing yourself on the question, 

 lately examined any consignments of north-west seal-skins f — A. Yes, 

 last week; I went carefully through a parcel of 2,000, and came to the 

 conclusion that the percentage of females did not exceed 75 per cent, 

 at the most. 



Q. Have you ever had to consider the question of what regulations 

 would be advisable? — A. Yes; I have considered the matter a good 

 deal, and recently this year on visiting the Columbian coast I made 

 special inquiry into the matter, and the conclusion I have arrived at is 

 that seal killing on the Pribyloft' Islands should be absolutely stopped, 

 and sealing confined to the sea. 



Q. Will you state the reasons why you come to that conclusion? — 

 A. I think that the seals on their breeding grounds should be undis- 

 turbed, and that the grounds themselves should be protected from dis- 

 turbance of any kind either on shore or by raiding. The one thing- 

 essential is to have an absolutely quiet and isolated breeding ground. 



Q. Have you not heard it alleged that pelagic sealing is a wasteful 

 method because of the number of seals that are wounded and sink 

 before they can be picked up? — A. I have heard that reported, but the 

 result of my conversation with a large number of old sealers and 

 experienced men in Victoria is quite contrary, and I am convinced that 

 not more than one in seven is lost. Certainly, a skilled hunter would 

 not lose more, 



Q. You have also no doubt heard, Mr. Moxon, that pelagic sealing is 

 alleged to be a wasteful method, on the ground that a great number of 

 gravid females are killed? — A. Yes, I have. Any regulation which 

 would stop this would have my approval, provided there was a corre- 

 sponding regulation to limit the excessive killing of males on the islands. 

 But as a matter of fact, the number of gravid females killed is grossly 

 exaggerated. In the fall-catch, that is, the catch in July to August, I 

 have examined the skins, and am prepared to say there are none at all. 

 As regards the spring catch, the percentage given includes female pups 

 too young to bear. 



Q. What proportion of the whole year's catch does the fall- catch 

 represent? — A. About one-half. 



Q. As regards the trade generally, Mr. Moxon, do you think they 

 would view with approval the total suj)pression of pelagic sealing? — A. 

 Certainly not. 



Q. wiiy would they not? — A. Because by that means a complete 

 monoi^oly in the article would be established. 



