APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 893 



business we annually purchase a large quantity of seal-skins in the raw 

 salted condition. These we cause to be dressed and dyed by some firm 

 of dressers and dyers in London, and subsequently have them manu- 

 factured in our workshops Into articles which we dispose of to tbe trade. 



2. I have read the declaration of Mr. Eichard Henry Poland, declared 

 on the 29th day of November, 1892, and entirely agree with it in every 

 respect. 



3. As regards the Alaska catch, in former years this was entirely 

 composed of male skins, but latterly I have noticed amongst them a 

 certain percentage of female skins, which have increased a little in 

 more recent years. It is very difQcult to form anything like an accu- 

 rate estimate of what this percentage is. In my opinion, it is about 10 

 per cent. 



4. And I make this declaration conscientiously believing the contents 

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



(Signed) Howard Vyse. 



Declared at No. 76, Wood Street, in the City of London, this 14th 

 day of January, 1893. 

 Before me : 



(Signed) Walter B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths. 



No. 29. 



I, John Shoosraith, of No. 40, Great Prescot Street, in the City of 

 London, soleunily and sincerely declare: 



1. I am managing clerk to the firm of George Rice, the well-known 

 dyer and dresser. 



2. The firm of George Eice have been established upwards of twenty 

 years. The firm do as large a business as any in the trade. 



3. In my opinion, the capital sunk in permanently in the seal-skin 

 industry in London — that is, the capital invested in plant — is about the 

 sum of 100,000/.; but, of course, a considerable portion of this plant, 

 should any change take place in the trade, could be turned to other 

 uses. 



4. As regards the number of persons exclusively engaged ip the busi- 

 ness, I should say in Loudon there were about 200. There are, of 

 course, a great many more persons through whose hands the skins also 

 pass, but these are not solely occupied with seal-skins. The 200 per- 

 sons I have mentioned might also do other work, but as a matter of fact 

 they don't; when there is no seal-skin work for them they are idle. 

 This is because they earn good wages, and when work is slack they 

 prefer doing nothing. 



(Signed) Jno. Shoosmith. 



Declared at the Foreign Office, before me, this 16th day of January, 

 1893. 



(Signed) E. F. Day, A Commissioner, 



No. 30. 



I, Richard Dixon, of No,.J-9, Edmund's Place, in the City of London, 

 fur merchant, solemnly an^ sincerely declare as follows: 



1. I was formerly a partner in the firm of Eichard Dixon and Co. 

 My firm has been established about thirty years. My firm have annu- 



