876 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



7. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the 

 contents to be true, and by virtue of " The Statutory Declaration Act, 

 1835." 



(Signed) Tom Simpson Jay. 



Declared at No. 223, Regent Street, in the county of London, this 

 7th day of December, 1892. 

 Before me: 



(Signed) Walter B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths. 



238 No. 11. 



Declaration of Mr. George Boulter. 



I, George Boulter, of Montreal, in the Dominion of Canada, and tem- 

 porarily of 35, Queen Street, in the City of London, England, fur man- 

 ufacturer and merchant, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows: 



1. I am a member of the firm of Silverman, Boulter, and Co., of 

 Montreal, Canada, fur manufacturers and merchants, and I am at pres- 

 ent visiting England in connection with my business. The lirm has 

 been established since 1872. I have had x)ersonal experience in the fur 

 business for twenty-eight years. In the course of business my house 

 have to purchase annually a considerable number of seal-skins, and I 

 am therefore familiar with the seal-skin business. 



2. The three best known descriptions of seal-skins are {a) the Alaskas, 

 which come from the Pribyloff Islands; (b) the Coppers, which come 

 from the Commander Islands; and (c) what is known as the north-west 

 catch. 



3. I have carefully considered what difference there is between 

 Alaskas and Coppers. In my opinion the only difference is that the 

 wool of the Alaskas is slightly denser, and therefore we find in practice 

 wears longer than Coppers. This statement is only true speaking of 

 Alaskas on the whole, because I have found in the manufacturing that 

 at least 35 per cent., if not more, of Copper furs are quite equal in density 

 to the best Alaskas; in fact, I will undertake to say that no man in the 

 trade, no matter how long his experience, could honestly say that he 

 could distinguish, when they have been dressed and dyed, between a 

 first-class Alaska skin and a first-class Copper skin. 



4. The difference in value between the two skins depends very largely 

 upon the fact that Alaskas have got a name in the market, and have 

 been the standard skin for many years, and the public have got to know 

 the term "Alaska" just as they know the brand of manufactured articles, 

 and they are prepared to pay for the name just as in other articles. 



5. I cannot sjieak with authority on any diflerence there may be in 

 colour, because my experience is chiefly confined to skins in the dressed 

 and dyed state, but from what I have seen I consider, although there 

 may be a difference taking the average of a large number, that the difler- 

 ence is trivial. I feel sure that if any skin was selected from an Alaska 

 consignment I could match it from a Commander consignment, and 

 vice versa. 



G. In my opinion, for the preservation and regulation of the catch 

 some regulations should be introduced, such as a close season or some 

 suchlike plan, but I am not prepared to offer any definite suggestion in 

 the matter. I should, however, strenuously object to any regulations 



