318 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
100 new vessels and outfits, which would at once put into circulation 1,350,000 dol- 
lars at the lowest calculation possible, and would give employment to 2,100 men. 
We will now estimate the average catch of the private sealer at 10,000 dollars each. 
This, one season with another, is a fair average catch and would realize 1,000,000 
dollars for the 100 vessels. The crew, at the end of the season, come in to be paid 
off, and, as a rule, receive one-half of the catch, which amounts to 500,000 dollars. 
This is put immediately into circulation, leaving the balance in the owner's hands 
to balance his outlay on the trip whatever net profit there may he in the business. 
We will say that it is divided between the 100 owners. Now these 100 owners sup- 
port 100 families, as a rule, and spend much more than though it was made and 
handled by four or five men in a stock Company. ‘This explains wherein it is to the 
best advantage for the Pacific coast to have this business open to any one who 
wished to invest in the same. It is plain to be seen if this extra amount of busi- 
ness could be distributed on the Pacific coast between San Francisco, Portland, Port 
Townsend, Seattle, and other shipping points, it would promote all trade and busi- 
ness, with perhaps the exception of the hack-driver and undertaker. The Govern- 
ment at the same time would derive a large revenue on the sale of the 50,000 skins, 
enough to pay a dividend on the purchase of Alaska larger than it ever has done, 
and havea inargin to pretect the seals on their breeding grounds, which is conceded 
by all should be done. 
We understand the objection made to the private sealers is made by those who do 
not understand how the hunting of seal is done. The reason for the objection is, 
that the private sealer will destroy all the seals and break up the seal rookeries. 
We ask: Has there ever been a seal rookery broken up and destroyed by hunters 
with fire-arms when used at sea from 10 to 20 miles away from the rookeries, and in 
most instances 50 miles away from the rookeries?) We answer, No; itnever has been 
done, and never can be done. In all cases where rookeries have been broken up it 
has been done by hunters directly on the beach where the seal land, and by hunting 
and killing them indiscriminately, so that they could not Jand and have their young, 
and care for the same. The killing of seal from 10 to 20 miles away from the rook- 
eries is quite another thing. The seal there is not at the mercy of the hunter, as it 
has plenty of sea room, and is able to take care of itself, and is no easy game to cap- 
ture, even by the most skilful hunter. This will be understood when it is consid- 
ered that 2,500 seals is an exceptionally good catch for a vessel carrying twenty-one 
men, who are generally out seven or eight months getting this many. This shows 
that the seal, when away from land and at sea, is a hard animal to capture, and 
that they can never be exterminated by hunting ‘at sea as now done, any more than 
the ducks and geese can be all killed, while on their way to and from breeding 
grounds in the Arctic. 
287 We often see Reports about the seal-hunters, with remarks of the way they 
capture seals, claiming that many were shot and wounded, snd couched in the 
most endearing manner that the poor seals were slaughtered by the hunters with 
shot-gun and rifle, so as to carry the impression that it was the most cruel business 
on the part of private sealers, and a business that should not be allowed, it being 
cruel in the extreme and unnecessary. 
We will now turn the tables, and ask was there ever a more cruel and brutal 
method invented for killing dumb animals than is now practiced in killing seals on 
the Islands of St. George and St. Paul. Imagine how these highly intelligent ani- 
mals are gradually for ced and driven away from the sea, their native element, driven 
inland as far as deemed practical. The slaughter then commences. Imagine a gang 
of men with clubs and bludgeons knocking out their brains right and ‘left, and it 
the seal is not hit right at the first blow it is followed up and slaughtered, its brains 
being knocked ont by a club. 
Who can imagine a more cruel method than this for killing dumb animals? Cer- 
tainly the private sealer’s method is the most humane of the two. Again, it is 
claimed that many seals are shot that sink and are lost. Undoubtedly there are some 
lost in this way, but the percentage is light, probably one in thirty or forty, not more 
than this. It is also claimed that ten are shot and wounded that die to one that is 
secured, This is also an error. Many seals are shot at that are not hit at all, but 
when a seal is wounded, so that in the end it will die, it is most always secured by 
the hunter who may have to shoot at it several times in order to get it, as the seal 
in the water exposes only its head, and when frightened exposes only a small portion 
of that, so that, together with the constant diving of the seal, the motion of the 
boat, &e., makes it very hard to hit. This is where it is claimed that ten are shot 
and wounded to one that is secured, but it is nearer the truth that one is lost to ten 
that are secured, for the reason that when a seal is wounded it cannot remain under 
water any length of time, and therefore the hunter can easily follow it up and 
secure it. 
We will now look at the Chart of the Behrivg’s Sea and see on what grounds our 
Government claims this. You will notice a long chain of islands, called the Aleutian 
