VESSELS SEALING IN JAPANESE WATERS. 275 



Pelagic catch of foreign sealing vessels domiailed in Japan, sealing in Asiatic waters, season 1897. 



aLost at Skotan. Of the 224 skins on board at the time of the wreck only 201 weresaived. 



There were consequently pelagic sealers owned by Japanese operating' in, 1893, 

 none; in 1894, 3; in 1895, 6; in 1896, 9; in 1897, 14, ^ 



The home ports of the schooners of 1897 are as follows: Hakodate, 7 schooners; 

 Kamaishi, 2 schooners; Tateyama, 1 schooner; Shinagawa, 1 schooner; Tokyo, 3 

 schooners; total, 14. 



In order to illustrate the activity of these it may be said that one of the new 

 Tokyp schooners started out as early as January 18 and arrived on J^'ebruary 6 in 

 Ogonohama with 124 skins. 



To show how cheaply the Japanese can transact their business, let me add the 

 information contained in a letter from Japan dated February 12, 1897, that the Japanese 

 skins for 1896 averaged, after deducting shipping and other expenses in London, about 

 15.50 yen; the average cost up to the time of arrival in Hakodate per skin was about 

 7.50 yen, leaving a net profit of 8 yen per skin. " As I stated to you last year, it is 

 my belief that in a year or two the whole pelagic sealing business will be in the hands 

 of the Japanese, as they can make a big profit where foreign schooners will starve." 



To prove by figures how surely the foreigners are being driven out let me present 

 the following table: 



Number of pelagic sealing vessels in Japanese waters. 



