FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 107 



of&cers, Treasury officials, and it would be almost impossible to cairy 

 on this business of illicit taking. 



Q. Do you think any measures of protection are necessary to be ex- 

 ercised over the herds of seals south of the Aleutian Islands ? — A. Xo, 

 sir ; 1 do not. I do not think any are necessary, and I really do not 

 see how any could be enforced, because the moment theseals get through 

 the i)asses they are in the Pacific Ocean, and it would seem to me to be 

 almost impossible beyond the 3 miles from land to assert aiiy control 

 over them. In fact 3 miles from laud you do not see them ; where they 

 go no one knows. 



Q. Now, Mr. Williams, should it be finally ascertained and considered 

 by our Government that under the treaty of cession by which we ac- 

 quired Alaska from Kussia, and under the law of nations, the United 

 States does possess and has absolute dominion and jurisdiction over 

 Bering Sea and the waters of Alaska, would you think it would be a 

 wise policy to adhere to and maintain that jurisdiction and dominion 

 complete, or would it be wiser to declare it the high sea in the legal 

 sense ? — A. In the light of to-day I should say keep what you have got. 



Q. Hold it as a closed sea ? — A. Fisheries within those limits are yet 

 to be developed, and it would seem to be very unwise to open up possi- 

 ble fishery contentions which are very likely to arise by such a course. 



Q. You think that would be, then, the wiser policy, to maintain such 

 jurisdiction and dominion as we have, and to concede to the vessels of 

 other nations such rights as are not inconsistent with the interests 

 which our nation has there and which need protection ?— A. Exactly 

 that; the right of transit through the sea wherever they please, but 

 positive protection to seal life. 



Q. You do not think it would be wise to grant anything else? — A. 

 Xo, sir; not at all. 



Q. And in no case to surrender the power of policing the sea? — A. 

 Xo, sir; under no circumstances. 



Q. Could that power and jurisdiction be surrendered and yet pre- 

 serve this seal life on these rookeries, and the value of our fisheries that 

 may be developed there ? — A. Only with very great risk, because if 

 that right is surrendered and thereby the right to police the sea, the 

 depredations that are made upon the seal wherever they may be found, 

 wherever men thought they could carry them out without being taken 

 in the act, would be carried out. So it would be difficult in regard to 

 the fisheries. Wherever they could kill these seals, they certainly would 

 be there, and it would be impossible to prevent them. 



Q. Have you any knowledge of the extent and value of these salmon 

 fisheries that is adjacent to Bering Sea, in Alaska ? — A. Not very ac- 

 curate knowledge, because the things have not been sufficiently devel- 

 oped to make sure, but we have positive knowledge that these fisheries 

 are very valuable, indeed. I would say also that a portion of these sal- 

 mon fisheries are absolutely necessary to sustain the life of the Indian 

 tribes who, at the salmon season, gather on the banks of these rivers, 

 especially on the Kuskovim. 



Q. This also applies to the Copper and the Yukon as well? — A. The 

 run of salmon in the Yukon has, I think, no comparison with these other 

 waters. I should fancy it was so from the fact that in this especial 

 Kuskovim locality the tribes so far as known have been in the habit of 

 gathering in the sahnon season and providing themselves with the nec- 

 essary supply at the time, and with dried salmon for the winter for 

 themselves and their dogs. 



Q. Have the natives any other means of subsistence except that from 



