FUR-SEAL FISHEEIES OF ALASKA. 361 



fectly safe aj^juiust all kinds of weather. There is always an engineer on the island 

 competent to run a small steamer, and natives for crew always at hand, willing to 

 serve the Treasnry agent when called on. In this way it would not cost the Govern- 

 ment a dollar to run the yacht. She could cruise all around the island doing the work 

 of a cutter without any expense for crew. It is impossible for one cutter to guard 

 the two islands successfully — as, for example, the Jiush left this island the night of 

 the 15th instant, and had not returned when we left on August 3, at 8 p. m. She had 

 all she could do around St. George and to the eastward. During her absence three 

 schooners operating at Saint Paul's must have secured large captures of seals. For the 

 next mouth I have no doubt the marauders will concentrate near the islands. If the 

 condition of the cutter Bear, on her return from the Arctic, will admit of it, Captain 

 Healey Avill remain at the islands until the sea is cleared of the sealing vessels. The 

 Bear was leaking badly when I boarded her at St. Paul, on her way north, and, in- 

 deed, the captain thought he would have to return from St. Michaels and proceed di- 

 rect to San Francisco. If such should prove to be the case, Captain Sheppard will have 

 more than he can do during the mouth of August. 



I desire to say in behalf of a faithful officer, that Captain Sheppard has displayed 

 commendable zeal in the execution of his orders, and will make a record of seizures 

 this season which will demoralize the marauding business. 



DESTRUCTION OF SEALS. 



I am now convinced from what I gather, in questioning the meu belonging to capt- 

 ured schooners and from reading the logs of the vessels, that not more than one seal 

 in ten killed and mortally wounded is landed on the boats and skinned ; thus you will 

 see the wanton destruction of seal life without any benefit whatever. I think 30,000 

 skins taken this year by the marauders is a low estimate on this basis ; 300,000 fur 

 seals were killed to secure that number, or three times as many as the Alaska Com- 

 mercial Company are allowed by law to kill. You can readily see that this great 

 slaughter of seals will in a few years make it impossible for 100,000 skins to be taken 

 on the islands by the lessees. I earnestly hope more vigorous measures will be adopted 

 by the Government in dealing with these destructive law-breakers. 



Dr. L. A. Noyes, left last fail as acting assistant Treasury agent on Saint George 

 Island in place of J. P. Manchester, who returned on account of sickness in his fam- 

 ily, performed the duties of the office faithfully until relieved May 30, 1887, by the 

 return of Mr. Manchester. Dr. Noyes should be paid for the time he served the Gov- 

 ernment. If there is no fund out of which he can be compensated, I respectfully ask 

 to recommend the jiassage of a bill for his relief or include it in the "civil sundry 

 bill" in accordance with his account rendered. 



I left St. George Island in charge of Assistant Treasury Agent William Gavitt, 

 having fully instructed him in regard to his duties. Mr. J. P. Manchester, assistant 

 Treasury agent, is in charge of St. Paul Island, with full instructions ; Captain A. P. 

 Loud, assistant Treasury agent, and myself return by the steamer St. Paul to San 

 Francisco, from which place we will report by telegraph and await your further or- 

 ders. 



Geo. R. Tingle, 



Treasury Agent. 



Hon. C. S. Fairchild, 



Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C. 



Supplemental report. 



San Francisco, August 19, 1887. 

 Sir : We arrived from the islands Oonalaska August 5 ; the cutter Rush came in the 

 same day, leaving early the morning of the (Jth for the fur-seal islands. On the 17th 

 the American schooner Anna, with 380 seal skins, was brought into port by a cutter 

 officer, having been seized by Captain Sheppard. She reported the seizure of the 

 British schooners Alary Ellen, 395 skins, and Alfred Adams, 1,400. The cutter also 

 took 400 skins landed on an island by the British schooner Lottie Fairfield, in the Be- 

 ring Sea. This makes a total of 5,300 seal skins seized. 



I can not too highly commend Capt. L. D. Sheppardfor the energy and correct busi- 

 ness methods he has displayed in the execution of his orders. 



Tlie owners of the Angel Dolly, seized by me, told me last night they intended to 

 make a fight before the court ; but they, least of all, have any grounds of defense, as 

 they were on Otter Island killing seals when sighted by me. 

 I^m, very respectfully, 



George R. Tingle, 



Treasury Agent. 

 Hon. C. S. Fairchild, 



Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C. 



