FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 411 



House Ex. Doc. No. 296, Fiftieth Congress, first session. 

 FUR-BEAEING ANIMALS IN ALASKA. 



LETTER 



FROM 



THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, 



IN RESPONSE TO 



A resolution of the House calling for information in regard to the lease of 

 the right to take fur seals in Alaska. 



May 4, 18S8.— Eeferrcd to tlie Committee on MercLant Marine and Fisheries and or- 

 dered to be printed. 



Treasury Department, 

 Office of the SecretarV, 

 Washington, D. C, May 3, 1888. 

 Sir : 1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of a reso- 

 lution, adopted on the 27th ultimo, requesting the Secretary of the 

 Treasury — 



To inform the House of Representatives vrhat contracts or leases of the right to t.ike 

 fur seals or other fur-bearing animals in Alaska have been made by the Treasury De- 

 partment, to whom made, for what lenj^th of time, for what considerations, and upon 

 what conditions, and when the same will expire : and also to inform the House what 

 sums of money have been expended by the Government to prevent the unlawful kill- 

 ing and extermination of fur seals and fur-bearing animals in Alaska, anil for the en- 

 forcement of the laws in relation thereto ; and what sums have been received by the 

 Government on account of any leases of the right to take fur seals and fur-bearing 

 animals in Alaska, and on account of any and all other Government charges for the 

 taking and shipping of such furs from Alaska ; and also to inl'oi-m the House as to 

 whether or not the terms and conditions of any such contracts or leases for the taking 

 of fur seals and other fur-bearing animals in Alaska have been violated and to what 

 extent; and whether or not other persons and vessels than those authorized by the 

 laws of the United States to do so have been engaged in taking fur seals and other 

 fur-bearing animals in Alaska and transporting such fur from there, and who and to 

 what extent. 



In response to said resolution, I have the honor to state, that the 

 lease of the right to take fur seals in Alaska for the term of twenty 

 years from the 1st day of May, 1870, was made on August 31, 1870, 

 to the Alaska Commercial Company, a corporation established under 

 the laws of the State of California, upon conditions and for considera- 

 tions specified in the copy of the lease herewith submitted, marked A, 



