14 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



former question here about St. George Island. You went there to see 

 about arranging for food? — A. The instructions were to prohibit the 

 killing of fur seals for the sake of furs, but to allow the natives to kill 

 such seals as were necessary for food. 



Q. The Alaska Commercial Company had nothing to do with that? — 

 A. No, sir. The company had no official existence on the islands until 

 October 19, 1870. That was the first vessel that brought the news of 

 the establishment of the new system. 



Q. Now, where are these seal islands located ? — A. They are located 

 in the middle of the Bering Sea. 



Q,. Which one is the nearest to the mainland ? — A. The mainland is 

 so far away that it is very difficult to say which is the nearest. There 

 may bo a few miles difference in the distance, but I should think 200 

 miles. I never paid any attention to that. 



Q. About how far from the mainland are these islands located in the 

 Bering Sea? — A. If you draw a radius of 200 miles, taking one of the 

 islands for a center, I think you will strike land. 



Q. How large is the island of St. George 5 how many miles long, and how 

 many does it average in width? — A. You can find that information here 

 somewhere. It is not in my report. If you permit me to speak from 

 remote recollection — as I stated to you, my memory of late has been 

 weakened — the island of St. George would be 7 miles one way and 4 

 miles the other. The island of St. Paul would be 15 miles one way and 

 C or 7 the other. 



Q. Now, has the Alaska Commercial Company's lease, so far as you 

 know from your connection with the Government and your experience 

 on the islands, any relation to any -part of Alaska except those two 

 islands? — A. Not any relation so far as I know. 



Q. Does it relate exclusively to the seal rookeries ? — A. It relates 

 exclusively to them. 



Q. Are there any seal rookeries belonging to the United States at 

 any other point in Bering Sea, except the Pribylov group ? — A. I do 

 not know of any such seal rookeries. 



Q. Do you know whether the Alaska Commercial Company has a 

 lease from Eussia for the seal rookeries in Bering Sea west of olirs in 

 the Asiatic waters ? — A. I have seen official documents to that effect 

 some several years ago. 



Q. About how far, in your judgment, are these rookeries from the 

 rookeries belonging to the United States ? I just want;your judgment. 

 Is it more than 100 miles ? — A. It is over 200 miles. I 'would put it at 

 300. 



Q. Do you know what the limitation under their lease with Eussia is 

 in regard to the number of fur-seal skins that may be take on the Eas- 

 sian Islands ? — A. No, I do not recollect ; but I will try. I must have 

 seen the figures somewhere. My impression is 25,000, I think. 



Q. Do you or do you not know that the only limitation is that they 

 are not to take less than 1,000 ? I will put the lease in evidence before 

 we get through. — A. I do not know. 



■ Q. Assuming that to be so, I want to ask you whether there would 

 be any object in taking an excess of skins at St. Paul and St. George 

 when they had other islands where they could take as many as they 

 wanted? — A. Not unless there was a very marked difference between 

 the prices paid for the privilege on one side and the i^rivilege on the 

 other. 



Q. You have stated that you heard from some persons or person 

 who was not friendly to the company that the company had stamped 



