FUR' SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 351 



Permit required for hunting, trading, and fishing on Russian coasts of the Okhotsk and 



Bering Seas. 



[1882.— Department No. 13.— Secretary's Office.] 



Treasuky Department, Office of the Secretary, 



Washington, D. C, January 30, 1882. 

 To collectors of customs and others : 



The subjoined notice by the Russian consul at Yokohama, that American vessels 

 are not allowed, without a special permit or license from the governor-general of 

 Eastern Siberia, " to carry on hunting, trading, fishing, etc., on the Russian coasts, or 

 islands in the Okhotsk or Bering Seas, or on the northeastern coast of Asia, or within 

 the sea-boundary line," is published by the Department for the information of Ameri- 

 can ship-masters interested. 



It will be observed that the Russian order took effect on January 1, 1882. 



CHAS. J. FOLGER, 



Sec7-etary. 



notice. 



At the request of the local authorities of Bering and other islands, the undersigned 

 hereby notifies that the Russian Imperial Government publishes, for general knowl- 

 edge, the following: 



i. Without a special permit or license from the governor-general of Eastern Siberia, 

 foreign vessels are not allowed to carry on trading, htiuting, fishing, etc., on the Rus- 

 sian coast or islands in the Okhotsk and Bering Seas, or on the northeastern coast of 

 Asia, or within their sea-boundary line. 



II. For such permits or licenses, foreign vessels should apply to Vladivostock, ex- 

 clusively. 



III. In the port of Petropaulovsk, though being the only port of entry in Kam- 

 chatka, such permits or licenses shall not be issued. 



IV. No permits or licenses whatever shall be issued for hunting, fishing, or trading 

 at or on the Commodore and Robben Islands. 



V. Foreign vessels found trading, fishing, hunting, etc., in Russian waters without 

 a license or permit from the governor-general, and also those possessing a license or 

 permit who may infringe the existing by-laws on hunting, shall be confiscated, both 

 vessels and cargoes, for the benefit of the Government. This enactment shall be en- 

 forced henceforth, commencing with A. D. 1882. 



VI. The enforcement of the above will be intrusted to Russian men-of-war, and 

 also to Russian merchant vessels, which, for that purpose, will carry military detach- 

 ments and be provided with proper instructions. 



A. Pelikan, 

 Yokohama, November 15, 1881. H. I. B. M. Consul. 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. Paul Island, Alaska, Julij 31, 1888. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the operations of the fur- 

 seal islands of Alaska for the year ending July 31, 1888. 



I inclose the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer St. PauVs receipts for 100,000 

 fur-seal skins " taken and shipped." Statement A shows the daily killing of seals, 

 from which you will see thenumber of large seals killed after the close of the season 

 of 1887, for native food, was 4,885, of which number the Alaska Commercial Com- 

 pany accepted on the quota of 1888 4,630 ; there was 59 rejected, being under size, 

 and 196 rejected stagy. 



Two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven small pups were killed in November 

 for native food, being 647 less than were killed the previous year, whilst the stagy 

 skins destroyed this year were 394 less than the year last preceding. This was owing 

 to the fact of the Alaska Commercial Company accepting and salting all the stagy 

 skins that were but slightly touched, so as to save all that it is possible to pass as 

 merchantable skins. 



The large killing of seals in November, December, and January for food showed an 

 unusual number on the island at that season of the year. Mr. Manchester, assistant 

 Treasury agent in charge of St. Paul Island, had the natives salt, in the company's 

 salt-house, a large portion of the meat, which gave them a better supply than they 

 hfive had for several ye^ra in the winter, whep the islands are depopulated of seal, 



