886 APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Ho. 21. 



I, Henry Friedeberg, of No. 96, Watling Street, in the City of London, 

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



1. I am the sole partner in the firm of H. Friedeberg and Co. My firm 

 was established in the year 1873. Prior to that time 1 had previous 

 experience in the fur trade in the office of my father, the late Mr. A. 

 Friedeberg. My business consists in purchasing skins in their salted 

 and raw condition. I then have them dressed and dyed by some Lon- 

 don dresser and dyer, and subsequently worked up in my workshops 

 into garments, which I dispose of to the trade. I also annually sell to 

 the trade a considerable number of dressed and dyed skins. 



2. There are three chief classes of seal-skins: (1) the Alaskas, 

 244 which come from the Pribyloff Islands; (2) the Copi)ers, which 

 come from the Commander Islands; and (3) what is known as 

 the North-west Catch. Of these, Alaskas are the most valuable. 



As regards the difference between Copper and Alaska skins, I con- 

 sider that the chief differences are (1) the denseness of the wool; (2) 

 that the Alaska wool is slightly higher than the wool of the Copper 

 seals; and (3) the sides of the Alaska skins are, in my oi)inion,.on the 

 average, richer in fur than tlie sides of the Copper Island skins. I do 

 not call to mind any other differences between the two classes. The 

 differences which I have mentioned are the differences which influence 

 the price in the market in favour of Alaskas. I also think that in some 

 degree the price is influenced by the fact, that the name of the Alaskan 

 seals is much better known to the i)ublic than any other seals. 



3. In the course of my business, it is not necessary for me to consider 

 the question of sex in any way. The skins are never bought or sold by 

 sex, nor is it mentioned in the catalogue; but speaking generally, I 

 think if I were given, say, 100 skins, I could, as to the larger sizes, 

 distinguish with more or less accuracy between males and females, but 

 in the smaller sizes I would not be able to distinguish the sex. 



4. In inspecting shipments made through Messrs. Lampson and Co. 

 from the Pribyloff' Islands, I have always noticed a considerable per- 

 centage of skins which, had I seen them elsewhere, I should have con- 

 sidered were Copper Island skins, and in the same way, in inspecting 

 consignments of skins from the Copper Islands, I have noticed a cer- 

 tain percentage of skins which resembled the Alaska description. It 

 is a very difficult matter to say definitely what this percentage would 

 be, but, speaking roughly, I should say from 20 to 40 per cent. 



5. I have never given much attention to the question of regulations, 

 and I do not feel myself competent to offer an opinion on the subject; 

 but I should not be in favour of any regulations which would totally 

 suppress the North-west Catch. In my opinion this forms a very use- 

 ful and important factor in the London market, and its disappearance 

 "would be decidedly an injury to the trade. Its disappearance, I think, 

 would result in the price of seal-skins being so high as to be out of the 

 reach of the ordinary consumer. 



7. And I make this declaration, conscientiously believing the contents 

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



(Signed) H. Friedeberg. 



Declared at No. 96, Watling Street, in the City of London, this 5th 

 day of January, 1893. 

 Before me : 



(Signed) Walter B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths. 



