278 INVESTIGATION OP THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OP ALASKA. 



has just been received. It is so interesting and valuable that I wish to put it in the 

 record. His investigation settles the question conclusively and for all time. It shows 

 that salting causes fur-seal skins to lose weight. The report is as follows: 



******* 



" The average loss of weight for the whole 60 skins is 0.63 pound, or 10 ounces. This 

 is an understatement of the average loss of weight, which, I believe, is at least an ounce 

 greater. The reason is that it is practically impossible to mechanically remove all the 

 salt from the shins before reweighing. They were shaken, swept, and brushed, but a few 

 grains and crystals of salt were always left adhering to each side of the skin. Obviously 

 it would not do to wash them off. By more carefully cleaning a few of the re- 

 weighed skins and then again weighing them, I estimate this residual salt to average 

 an ounce or something more." 



Against the above, observe the following facts, to wit: 

 In the village salt house, St. Paul Island, July 29, 1913, 400 fur- 

 seal skins which had been taken July 7, 1913, weighed "green/' and 

 put into salt there, were taken out of the kench, salted, and bun- 

 dled for shipment, and then weighed. This weighing declared the 

 fact that the salt-cured skins had been increased over their "green" 

 weights all the way from a minimum of one-half pound to a maxi- 

 mum of 1^ pounds per skin. (See table of 400 skins; pp. 102-105; 

 Rept. Spl. Agents; H. Com. Exp. Dept. Commerce, Aug. 31, 1913.) 



SELF-CONFESSED OFFICIAL DECEIT IN RE YEARLING SEALSKINS. 



To show that Mr. Lembkey in his report to the Secretary of Com- 

 merce for 1904 was deliberately deceiving the department as to the 

 size and weight of yearling sealskins, the following deadly parallel on 

 himself is drawn, since it is of his own making. 



On September 7, 1904, Lembkey says hi his official report (p. 77. 

 Appendix A) : 



On July 1 there were 3 yearling seals in the drives at Northeast Point. One of them, 

 a typical specimen, was knocked down at my direction to ascertain the weight of the 

 skin. It was found to be a female. The carcass before sticking weighed 34 pounds, 

 and the skin taken off hurriedly, with considerable loose blubber adhering, weighed 

 4 1 pounds. The removal of this loose blubber left the skin weighing only 3| pounds. 



While no further effort was made to determine the weight of yearling skins, 

 this instance shows that the skins of this class of animals are far below the limit of 

 weight now prescribed by the department, and are too small to have appeared in 

 the company's catch at any time, except by an accident in clubbing. 



Then, on April 13, 1912, to the House committee, he testifies that 

 he knows that yearling sealskins weigh from 4 to 4| pounds (see p. 

 435, Hearing Xo. 9), to wit: 



Mr. Lembkey. As I stated to the committee, I knew nothing whatever about the 

 measurements. 



Mr. Elliott. How do you know anything about the weights? 



Mr. Lembkey. Because I have taken the weights. 



Mr. Elliott. Oh, you have? 



Mr. Lembkey. I have taken the weights on the island of all sealskins weighed there. 



Mr. Elliott. You have? I want to call your attention to this, and the attention of 

 the committee. You say you have taken note of the weights? 



Mr. Lembkey. I have testified before the committee that every skin taken on the 

 islands except a few that inadvertently were omitted were weighed there. 



Mr. Elliott. What is the weight of a yearling fur-seal skin? 



Mr. Lembkey. I weighed very few yearling skins, but they would usually run up 

 to 4 or 4 J pounds. 



On April 13, 1912, when under oath before the House Committee 

 on Expenses in the Department of Commerce and Labor, Mr. Lembkey 

 testified that the length of a vearling seal of his own identification 



