APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 879 



never classified for sales or any other purposes, so far as I know, by 

 sex. The usual mode adopted is that of standard sizes, commonly 

 known as ''Middlings," "Middlings and Smalls," "Large Pups," "Mid- 

 dling Pups," " Small Pups," &c. I am not aware that sex in any way 

 enters into the question of price. 



4. Speaking generally, it is a fact well known to those engaged in the 

 fiir business, that skins of the same animals taken in different locali- 

 ties, under different conditions of climate, are valued differently for 

 commercial purposes. 



5. As an example of this, I may mention that at the Hudson's Bay 

 Company's last fur sales, marten skins from eastern districts of Hud- 

 sou's Bay were sold at 406r. and 43s., whereas those ,from more western 

 districts realized but 17s. (Jd. and 18s., and those from McKenzie Eiver 

 in the far north 14s. Gd. per skin. Beaver also from the same districts 

 realized 62s., 45s. (jd., 47s., and 33s. 6d. respectively. 



6. The above comparisons of price have been made between Ko. 1 

 skins from each district in all cases. Such differences of value depend 

 on differences of size, quality, and colour. 



7. And 1 make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the 

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

 1S35." 



(Signed) Wm. Halsey. 



Declared at No. 1, Lime Street, in the City of London, this 15th day 

 of December, 1892. 

 Before me: 



(Signed) Walter B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths. 



240 Ko. 14. 



Declaration of Mr. Benjamin Franks Slater. 



I, Benjamin Franks Slater, of No. 43, Newgate Street, in the City of 

 London, fur merchant, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows: 



1. 1 am a member of the firm of Slater and Co. My firm are suc- 

 cessors to Messrs. Flanders and Co., and the business has been estab- 

 lished for twenty-eight or twenty-nine years. Our business consists in 

 purchasing seal-skins in the raw state, and having them dressed and 

 dyed at one of the London dressers and dyers, and subsequently worked 

 up in our workshops into articles with which we supply the trade in 

 this country and in America. I personally superintend the purchasing 

 of the seal-skins on behalf of my firm, and I, therefore, am familiar 

 with the seal-skin trade in London. 



2. There are three classes of skins chiefly sold, viz., Alaska skins 

 from the Pribyloft' Islands, Copper skins from the Commander Islands, 

 and what is commonly known as the North-west catch. 



3. I have carefully considered the question of the differences between 

 Coppers and Alaskas. In my opinion, the chief difference is that the 

 Alaskas produce a fur which is somewhat denser than the Coppers — 

 or, rather, I should say, that the Alaslca furs, on an average, are denser 

 than the Coppers, because Ave frequently find Coppers which are quite 

 equal in density to Alaskas. Another difference is that we find amongst 

 Coppers a certain percentage of skins upon which the hair is somewhat 

 hard and difficult to remove, and the removal of which leaves the far 

 in a somewhat weaker condition. 



