FUR SEALS OF ALASKA. 27 
Mr. Hiri. How many young do they have? 
Mr. FautKner. One. 
Mr. Crarx. One a year? 
Mr. Faurtxner. Yes; oneayear. This joint conference passed upon 
the regulations of the Department and the contract of the lessees. 
This was in 1897, seven years after the report of Mr. Elliott. It is 
the admission of Canada and Great Britain. It is the first time they 
have agreed to the proposition which they announce in the extracts. 
I shall read page 243. 
9. The methods of driving and killing practiced on the islands, as they have come 
under our observation during the past two years, offer no criticism or objection. 
An adequate supply of bulls is present on the rookeries. The number of older bache- 
lors rejected in the, drives during the period in question is such as to safeguard in the 
immediate future a similarly adequate supply; the breeding bulls, females, and pups 
on the breeding rookeries are not disturbed; there is no evidence or sign of impair- 
ment by driving of the virility of males; the operations of driving and killing are 
conducted skillfully and without inhumanity. 
That is the decision of the experts of Canada, Great Britain, and 
America. 
Mr. Cooper. At whose instance was that report made? 
Mr. Fautxwer. This was made at the instance of the two Govern- 
ments, under the authority of a clause in the award of the tribunal of 
Paris, which provided that the United States and England should 
revise the regulations formulated by the tribunal at the end of five 
years. Looking forward to that revision, in 1896 the two countries 
appointed this commission, that at the end of the five years they would 
have additional information upon which to base their new regulations. 
Mr. Coover. Did this Alaska company have anything to do with it? 
Mr. Favixner. Oh, no, sir; it was a governmental commission 
entirely. 
Mr. Crarx. How did the’ Bering Sea come to be considered an 
open sea, by treaty or by international law? 
Mr. Favixner. Russia claimed to some extent the right to regard 
it as an inland sea over which it could exercise jurisdiction, and the 
United States insisted that it had acquired by the treaty all the rights 
of Russia. That matter was submitted to the tribunal of arbitration 
of Paris and they decided against the claim of the United States. 
Mr. Wuitams, of Mississippi. Unanimously, did they not? 
Mr. Facugner. Yes. Well, Senator Morgan did not vote on the 
question, but Justice Harlan voted with the other arbitrators. 
Mr. Dauzeuu. Is that a governmental publication? 
Mr. Fautxner. Yes, sir; it isa publication called ‘‘The Fur Seal 
Islands in the North Pacific Ocean,” by David Starr Jordan. 
Mr. Datzetu. Is it a Senate or House document? 
Mr. Fautxner. It does not mention whether it is a House or Sen- 
ate document. It says: ‘Government Printing Office, Washington, 
D.C.” (Note.—Treasury Dept. Doc. 2017, div. special agents.) 
Mr. Exuiorr. [ think it is a Treasury document. 
Mr. Fautkyer. I suppose it is a Treasury document for the reason 
that the commission, I think, was appointed by the Department look- 
ing forward to the revision of the rules under a provision of the award 
of arbitration. The report of the conference proceeds (p. 243), in the 
thirteenth clause: 
13. The polygamous habits of the animal, coupled with an equal birth rate of the 
two sexes, permits a large number of males to be removed with impunity from the 
