FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 29 



Q. That is, if the laws of the Government were observed for them ? — 

 A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Do you believe seal life can be preserved without Government pro- 

 tection over them ? — A. I do not. 



Q. What was your estimate of the value of those rookeries ? — A. I 

 could not estimate them. The seals are there by the millions; you can 

 not count them. 



Q. Well, estimate the value by the earning capacity. — A. Three hun- 

 dred thousand dollars is the way they earn now. 



Q. That is what the Government gets. Do you know what the com- 

 pany gets ? — A. No ; I do not. 



Q. That comes in addition? — A. Yes, sir; and it is a part of their 

 expenses. Of course, what they pay out is part of their expenses, 

 which would be in addition. 



Q. Yon take it for granted that they make some money ? — A. I im- 

 agine they do. 



Q. Would you think the rookeries, as an absolute property, with 

 power to protect the seals, may not be worth $5,000,000, $10,000,000, 

 $15,000,000, or $20,000,000 ?— A. I can not tell. They will have to fight 

 to hold the rookeries. 



Q. I say, though, property under the protection of the law of the Gov- 

 ernment, as people own other things — as a man owns a cattle-ranch — 

 say with the same measure of protection accorded to it ? — A. I can not 

 estimate the value. 



Q. I think Professor Elliot estimates it at $12,000,000 or $15,000,000. 

 Do you think that is excessive ? — A. I should think it was. I think I 

 should put it inside of that. Its value depends upon the continuance 

 of the seal life, upon the caprice of fashion,, upon the exiiense of de- 

 fending, and many other contingencies. 



TESTIMONY OF GEORGE WARDMAN. 



George Wardman, sworn and examined. 

 By the Chairman : 



Q. Just give us a general narrative statement. You have heard the 

 list of questions asked ; so please proceed and state whether you have 

 been an agent of the Government in Alaska, mention the date when your 

 connection with it began, and your observations in regard to it. — A. I 

 became an oflBcer of the Government in the seal islands by appointment 

 on the 4th of April, 1881, and I proceeded out to San Francisco, and 

 from there to the seal islands, and arrived there in the May following. 

 I was then ordered by Colonel Otis, who was then chief oflBcor in charge, 

 to take charge of St. George Island. I remained in that capacity, in 

 charge of St. George Island, until the 29th of May, 1885, when I received 

 a notification of my removal. Then I did not have anything more to 

 do with it. 



I was four years upon the islands, except with intermissions, when I 

 cjme down twice. In 1879 I made a trip to Alaska, generally in the 

 United States steamer Bush on order by Secretary Sherman, on which 

 I visited a number of places and saw some things of which you asked 

 some witnesses without getting a very definite answer. I proceeded to 

 Fort Wrangel ; from there to Sitka; from there to Kodiak, and to Athka 

 and Kishka aud Attoo and Oonalaska and to St. Michaels. All these 

 points were occupied by individual traders, as you were asking about 



