AS 
APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 421 
The Minister states that this claim amounts to 19,674 dollars, and is advanced by 
Mr. E. Crow Baker, of Victoria, British Columbia, managing owner, on behalf of 
himself, Daniel McLean, Rosine Gibson, and John C. Blackett, as joint owners of the 
vessel in question. 
The Committee advise, on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine and Fish- 
eries, that your Excellency be moved to forward a copy of this Minute, together with 
the papers herewith annexed, to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the 
Colonies for transmission to the Government of the United States. 
All of which is respectfully submitted for your Excellency’s approval. 
(Signed) JOHN J. MCGEE, 
Clerk Privy Council. 
[Inclosure 3 in No. 269.] 
Declaration of Edgar Crow Baker. 
City oF Victoria, Province of British Columbia, Dominion of Canada. 
I, Edgar Crow Baker, of the city of Victoria, in the Province of British Columbia, 
Dominion of Canada, retired Navigating Lieutenant, Royal Navy, but at present 
(among various other businesses) following the occupation or calling of a Real Estate 
and Financial Broker in the city aforesaid, and the duly authorized managing owner 
of the British sealing-schooner ‘‘Triumph,” do solemnly and sincerely declare as 
follows: 
1. That said schooner was built in April 1887 in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, purchased 
by myself and others, as per original register, and brought to the port of Victoria 
by one Daniel McLean, master and part owner, for the express purpose of engaging 
in the business of seal-hunting in the North Pacific Ocean and Behring’s Sea, and 
elsewhere. : 
2. That said vessel was duly registered at the port of Victoria, British Columbia, 
by the usual method of transfer of registry, on the 2nd December, 1887, with the port 
number 11, her registered tonnage being 87.51, and her official number, 90,681. 
3. That said vessel arrived at the port of Victoria on or about the 25th April, 1888, 
and after undergoing usual refit and outfit for her sealing voyage, cleared from the 
port of Victoria on or about the 5th May, 1888, for Behring’s Sea, and prosecuted 
that branch of the deep-sea fisheries known as seal-hunting, in said arm of the North 
Pacific Ocean, with a crew composed principally of Indian hunters, and returned to 
Victoria on or about the 12th September of said year with a catch of 2,491 sealskins, 
and the master reported no interference or molestation on the part of the United 
States Revenue cruizers. 
4. That said catch was sold in the market at Victoria for the price or sum of 14,219 
dol. 75 ¢., and after reimbursing all expense of outfit for the hunting period, pay- 
ment of hunters and crew, yielded a very handsome profit to the owners of said 
vessel for their season’s venture. : 
5. That the price paid for skins during the season immediately above referred 
385 to was 6 dollars only in Victoria, though 75 dol. 25 c. and 65 dol. 50 c. was 
obtained at the usual fall sales in London, Great Britain. 
6. That the registered owners of said vessel at that time were: Edgar Crow Baker, 
21 shares; Walter EK. Blackett,21 shares; Daniel McLean, 22 shares, participating 
equally in the profits, and the vessel commanded by same master. 
7. Thatin January of the present year (1889), in order to make the vessel as staunch 
and seaworthy as it was possible to make a vessel, not then two years old, she was 
docked in graving- dock at Esquimalt, and coppered to 9 feet forward and 11 feet aft, 
at an expense to the owners of 1,254 dol. 50 c., thereby enhancing the value of said 
vessel from 8,250 dollars to very nearly 9,500 dollars. 
8. That the primary object in sparing no expense to efficiently equip said vessel 
was that she might ‘‘keep the sea” in any weather, and prolong her seal-hunting 
voyage until the latest moment of the season, and return to her home-port in the 
following season with a catch in excess of that already quoted. 
9. That the declarant sent said vessel down to San Francisco on the 24th March of 
the present year, in order to procure the best white hunters, sealing boats and seal- 
ing outfit obtainable, and disbursed for same and provisions 2,966 dol. 24 ¢. 
10, That said vessel left San Francisco on or about the 12th April of the present 
year with a crew consisting of master, mate, carpenter, gunner, cook and steward, 
eight hunters, seventeen able and ordinary seamen, and two apprentices, in all 
thirty-two in number, as per certificate of shipping master of said port. 
11. That said vessel entered and cleared from the port of Victoria on the 25th day 
of April last, and sent by the declarant on a sealing and hunting voyage in the 
North Pacific Ocean and Behring’s Sea at a further cost to the owners of 2,975 dol. 
19 c, for advances to hunters and crew, provisions, sails, equipments and apparel, 
marine insurance, and necessaries. 
