INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 319 



Seal Commission of 1892, when he spent six months in the North Pacific and Bering 

 Sea and on the seal islands studying the fur seal. 1 



"The Advisory Board, Fur-Seal Service, consists of the following: 



"Dr. David Stan- Jordan, president of Stanford University, who was chairman of the 

 International Fur-Seal Commissions of 1896 and 1897, appointed in pursuance of the 

 treaty of February 29, 1892, and whose published report in four volumes is the most 

 comprehensive, thorough, and valuable treatise that has ever been published on all 

 matters pertaining to the fur seal and the seal islands. Dr. Jordan is the most distin- 

 guished and best-known naturalist in the world. 



"Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, head curator of biology, United States National Museum, 

 for two years resident on the Russian seal islands, member of the Fur-Seal Commissions 

 of 1896 and 1897, as a member of which he visited and studied all the fur-seal rookeries 

 of Alaska, Russia, and Japan. His report on the Russian seal islands is the most critical 

 and thoughtful that has been written. 2 



"Dr. C. Hart Merriam, until recently Chief of the Biological Survey, member of the 

 Fur-Seal Commission of 1890, and the greatest living authority on mammals. 3 



"Dr. Frederic A. Lucas, director of the American Museum of Natural History, 

 member of the Fur-Seal Commissions of 1896 and 1897, and one of the keenest, most 

 discerning and best-known naturalists. 4 



"Dr. Charles H. Townsend, director of the New York Aquarium, for many years 

 naturalist on the fisheries steamer Albatross, member of the Fur-Seal Commissions of 

 1896 and 1897, and distinguished as a naturalist and field investigator. Dr. Townsend 

 made a special study extending over many years of our fur seals and pelagic sealing. 5 



These experts thus certified to the committee as the authority upon 

 whom the department relied for this killing, above stated, in violation 

 of law and regulations, were Messrs. Merriam, Stejneger, Lucas, 

 Townsend, Evermann, and Lembkey. 



Thereupon the committee summoned those experts to appear and 

 testify as to then knowledge of this killing as above stated. The fol- 

 lowing analysis of their testimony declares the fact that not one of 

 those experts was above quoted by Secretary Nagel, January 14, 

 1911. and June 9, 1911, except Lembkey had any knowledge what- 

 ever of this killing as ordered by Secretary Nagel. They also declared 

 complete ignorance of the work as it has been done under orders of 

 Secretary Nagel; and still further they all declared, except Lembkey, 

 that they, of their own personal knowledge, can not pa.>s any opinion 

 upon this work as to whether it was legally or illegally done. This 

 testimonv follows, being taken from the sworn statements of those 

 gentlemen and paralleled with that of their own writings and the 

 depositions of their associates in the Bureau of Fisheries, "Advisory 

 board fur-seal service/' to wit: 



The svjorn statements of Dr. C. Hart Merriam, who is one of the experts cited to the 

 United States Senate Committee on Conservation of National Resources, January 14, 1911, 

 and to the House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor, 

 June 9, 1911, by Secretary Charles Nagel as his authority for killing seals in violation of 

 the law and the regulations, to wit: 



Mr. Bowers. The members of the fur-seal board and of the advisory board, fur-seal 

 service, are as follows: 



Dr. C. Hart Merriam, for many years chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey, 

 and perhaps the ablest living mammalogist of the world. 



Dr. Merriam was one of the two special commissioners sent to the seal islands in 

 1891 by the United States Government to study, in conjunction with commissioners 

 from Great Britain and Canada, the island life of the seals. (Hearing No. 2, p. 109, 

 June 9, 1911, H. Com. Exp. Dept. C. & L.) 



i Evermann testified that his "experience" on the islands was just nine days in 1895. 

 2 Stfjneger has testified that his "experience "on the islands was just 10 days, in 1896. 

 8 Merriam has testified that his "experience" on the islands was just 10 days, in 1891. 

 4 Lucas has testified that his "experience" on the islands was just 92 days, or "about so long," in two years. 

 6 Townsend has testified that his "experience" on the islands v/as just 212 days, or "about so long," in 10 

 years. 



