FUK-;^EAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 355 



Island of St. Paul, 

 Berlnfi Sea, Alaska, August 9, 1888. 

 This is to certify that righty-fivo thousand (85,000) fur-seal skins have this day been 

 shipped ou board the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer St. I'aul, whereof M. 

 C. Erskin is master. 



M. C. Erskin, 

 Geo. R. Tingle, 



Trcasurij Agent. 



Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, 



Washington, D. C, September 27, 1888. 

 Sir: In compliance with the request contained in your letter of the 24th instant, 

 I inclose herewith Senate Document No. 31, containing the report of Special Agent 

 George R. Tingle, relative to the administration of the fur-seal islands of Alaska for 

 the year 1887, and also a copy of said officer's report dated July 31, 1888, and docu- 

 ments accompanying the same. 

 Respectfully, yours, 



I. H. Maynard, 

 Assistant Secretary. 

 Hon. Poindexter Dunn, 



Chairman Committee of Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 



House of Representatives. 



fSenate Ex. Doc. No. 31, Fiftieth Congress, first session.] 



Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting, in resjwnse to Senate resolution of 

 December 13, 1887, Special Agent Tingle's report on the conduct of affairs in the seal 

 islands of Alaska. 



Treasury Department, December 16, 1887. 

 Sir : In compliance with the Senate resolution of the 18th instant, 1 have the honor 

 to inclose herewith copy of Special Agent George R. Tingle's report, dated July 31, 

 1887, upon the condition of alfairs in the seal islands of Alaska. 

 Respectfully, yours, 



C. S. Fairchild, 



Secretary. 

 Hon. J. J. Ingalls, 



President pro tempore, United States Senate. 



Office of Special Agent Treasury Department, 



St. Paul Island, Alaska, July 31, 1887. 



Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith my report for the year ending July 31, 

 1887, with the steamers' receipts for 100,000 seal skins shipped 



Statement A, inclosed, shows the daily killing of seals for food and by the lessees ; 

 Statement B, the killing on both islands consolidated. It is very gratifying to be able 

 to report almost no loss from seals perishing on the drives ; men are sent to follow up 

 the seals and skin such as perish, and bring the skins to the salt-houses. 



The loss in clubbing is also insignificant. 



This result is owing to greater care being exercised by the natives and lessees' men 

 in handling the immense droves of seals, and the saving in clubbing small seals, which 

 appear as rejected in the statement, is mainly owing to the presence on the held of 

 the Treasury agent and the personal superintendence and stiict orders of the lessees' 

 general agent, who requires of his men the greatest care in killing, so that none but 

 acceptable seal skins are taken ; indeed, the unnecessary slaughter of seals whose 

 skins are not merchantable is a thing of the past, as a com^iarison of this season's 

 statement with former years will show. 



The ice hung around St. Paul Island until the 13th of May, the weather being very 

 cold, which no doubt was the cause of the light supply of killable seals tirst part of 

 June. By the 20th of the month they landed in as great numbers as usual, and more 

 than could be handled each day by the depleted force of natives entitled to partici- 

 pate in the work of skinning or sealing. No difficulty was experienced by the lessees 



