APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 899 



1. I am a member of the firm of HoffmaTin and Than. Tlie firm has 

 been established since the year 1883, and prior to that year, and from 

 the year 1878, the bnsiness was carried on under the style of " P. W. 

 Hoflmann." I have personally had an experience in the fur trade of 

 seventeen years. My firm, in the course of their business, annually 

 purchase at public sales and elsewhere a quantity of seal-skins, most of 

 which we have dressed and dyed by some London dresser and dyer, 

 and subsequently we dispose of them to the trade. I conduct, on 

 behalf of my firm, the purchasing of the skius, aud I am, therefore, 

 familiar "with the seal-skin market. 



2. I have read the declaration of Friedrich August Gustav Weber, 

 made on the 15th day of December, 1892, and I agree with the state- 

 ments therein made in every particular. 



252 3. I am not in favour of the total suppression of the North-west 



Catch, and should be very strongly opposed to any arrangement 

 which would leave the monopoly of the seal-skin business entirely in 

 the hands of the lessees of the islands. 



4. And I make this declaration conscientiously believing the contents 

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



(Signed) Julius Richard Thau. 



Declared by Julius Eichard Thau at No. 6, Great St. Thomas Apostle, 

 in the City of London, this 17th day of January, 1893. 

 Before me, 



(Signed) Walter B. Priest, 



A Commissioner for Oaths. 



No. 37. 



I, Henry Meyers, of No. 150, Cheapside, in the City of London, furrier 

 and skin merchant, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows: 



1. I am the sole partner in the firm of J. and H. Meyers. The firm 

 has been established since 1872. I have personally had an experience 

 in the seal-skin trade of twenty years. My firm in the course of their 

 business annually purchase a considerable quantity of seal-skins at 

 public sales and elsewhere. These we have dressed and dyed by some 

 London dresser and dyer, and have them subsequently manufactured 

 into articles which we dispose of to the trade. I conduct the purchas- 

 ing of the skins, and I am therefore very familiar with the seal skin 

 market in Loudon. 



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

 on the 29th day of November, 1892, and I agree with the contents 

 thereof in every particular. 



3. I should be very strongly opposed to any arrangement which 

 would leave the monopoly of the seal-skin business in the hands of the 

 lessees of the islands. I think this would be interfering with the 

 trade, and exceedingly injurious to it. I am decidedly of opinion that 

 some regulations are necessary in regard to the North-west Catch, but 

 what tliese regulations should be I have not sufficient information at my 

 disposal to enable me to form an opinion. I should, however, not be in 

 favour of the total suppression of the North-west Catch. 



