238 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
westward asa line drawn from a point in Behring’s Straits south-west to the meridian 
of longitude 173° west, the killing of fur-bearing animals, amongst which the seal 
is included, is prohibited by law; that repeated warnings to this effect have been 
given by the United States authorities, and that vessels both of Canada and the 
United States have within the past two years been seized and condemned for killing 
seals within these waters. It also appears that in the Islands of St. George and St. 
Paul, during the months of June, July, September, and October of each year, the 
United States Government allows the slaughter of seals to the number of 100,000 by 
certain citizens of that country known as the Alaska Commercial Company, for which 
monopoly the United States Government is paid a yearly revenue of more than 300,000 
dollars. 
At no season of the year, and to no other persons whatever, is it permitted to kill 
a single seal within what is claimed as the limits of the Territory of Alaska. It is 
evident, therefore, that there is no part of the year when citizens of any country, with 
the sole exception of the Alaska Commercial Company, can legitimately kill seals 
within the limits named; and when Mr. Phelps stated to Lord Salisbury that ‘no 
attempt had been made by the authorities of the United States to stop the 
214 ~~ fishing there of any vessels at the time when it was legitimate,” his statement 
should be read in conjunction with the fact that there is no period of the year 
when it is legitimate for any vessels to fish for seals in the waters of Alaska. 
The proposal to fix a close time is based by Mr. Bayard upon the alleged necessity 
of immediate measures to prevent the destruction of the seal fishery in Behring’s 
Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. 
It is not clear from any information at present possessed that any pressing and 
absolute necessity exists for any such measures, so far as shown by the present con- 
dition of that fishery in the North Pacific. 
From a Report made by the Special United States Treasury Agent in Alaska, * 
dated the 31st July, 1887, it appears: 
1. That none but young male seals are allowed to be killed on the Pribyloff Islands, 
and of these only 100,000 annually. 
2. That a careful measurement of the breeding rookeries on St. Paul and St. George 
Islands showed 6,357,750 seals, exclusive of young males. 
3. That 90 per cent. of the pups bred by these go into the water, leaving a mor- 
tality of but 10 per cent. at the place of breeding. 
4, That fully one-half of the above 90 per cent. of pups returned the following 
year as yearlings to the rookeries, leaving thus a total mortality of 45 per cent. from 
various causes at sea. 
It needs but a slight consideration of these figures to demonstrate that an addi- 
tion of millions each year must be made to the surviving seal life in the North Pacific 
Ocean. 
The Agent in his Report says: ‘‘This vast number of animals, so valuable to the 
Government, are still on the increase. The condition of all the rookeries could not 
be better.” 
Against the enormous yearly increase of seal life may be placed the average annual 
slaughter as given in the Memorandum attached to Mr. Bayard’s letter, viz., 192,457 
for the whole world, or for the seals near to Behring’s sea as follows: 
12 retl Dy lita Wes ec (oi er RE est eres En Se SS SpSeaS 94, 967 
Commanderisiands and RobbincsReets.--e5 "+. sees sae ee eee eee Eee eee 41, 893 
apamewslamad gh Joie lice sals BE I. ee ed Sse PES ga ae ne fea ba pee ets 4, 000 
INGrth-=west coastotA merica 4s. 2s. S0Us Cys Dei e eee cee eee te 25, 000 
Oxriaxbotal tom. soy. 222, DEI BRR AO ae ee 165, 860 
With an annual clear increase of millions, and an annual slaughter of less than 
200,000 in the North Pacific Ocean, it surely cannot be contended that there is any 
necessity for such stringent and exclusive measures as the one proposed in order to 
preserve the seal fishery from threatened destruction. Not only would it appear that 
the present rate of catch could be permitted, and a continual increase of the total 
number of seals be assured, but it would seem that this annual take might be many 
times multiplied without serious fears of exhaustion so long as the present conditions 
of breeding on the Pribyloff Islands are preserved. 
The time proposed as close months deserves consideration, viz., from the 15th 
April to the 1st November. For all practical purposes, so far as Canadian sealers 
are concerned, it might as well read from the Ist January to the 3lst December. 
It is a well-known fact that seals do not begin to enter the Behring’s Sea until the 
middle or end of May; they have practically all left those waters by the end of 
October. The establishment of the proposed close season, therefore, prohibits the 
taking of seals during the whole year. Even in that case, if it were proposed to 
make this close season operative for all on the Islands of St. Paul and St. George as 
———e —— at = 
* Executive Document No. 31, 50th Congress, 1st Session. 
