INVESTIGATION" OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 375 



Lucas declares that the size of 

 the skin has nothing to do with its 

 classification. 



Dr. Lucas. You are also doubtless fa- 

 miliar with the fact that the classification 

 of the seals in the sales has absolutely 

 nothing to do with actual ages and sizes. 

 (Hearing No. 12, p. 708, Mar. 16, 1912.) 



Lucas swears that the green 

 skins weigh more than when 

 salted. 



Dr. Lucas. For example, you will find 

 large pups here whose skins weighed 7 

 pounds 4 ounces, the size of either an aver- 

 age 2-year-old or a small 3-year-old seal; 

 middling paps weighing 6 pounds 4 ounces, 

 the size of a 3-year old. And if these seal- 

 skins follow the ride of other skins — and I 

 have handled a great many hundreds of 

 skins — they will weigh less at the London 

 sales after being salted than they will 

 weigh fresh on the islands, because when a 

 skin is salted the salt takes the moisture 

 out of it and it comes to the sale in a semi- 

 dry condition. (Hearing No. 12, p. 708, 

 May 16, 1912. 



But the London sales agent 

 says that its size does determine 

 it, by measurement so classed. 



TESTIMONY OP MR. ALFRED FRASER. 



(The witness was duly sworn by the 

 chairman.) 



Mr. Fraser. Yes. I was in the fur 

 business, being a member of the firm of 

 C. M. Lampson & Co. 



The Chairman. For how many years 

 did you say you were connected with that 

 company? 



Mr. Fraser. I was connected with 

 them since 1865. 



The Chairman. What was your busi- 

 ness as their representative? 



Mr. Fraser. I took care of their busi- 

 ness in New York. 



The Chairman. If you will kindly send 

 us a catalogue I will look it over and sub- 

 mit it to the committee. Prof. Elliott, 

 do you want to ask any question? 



Mr. Elliott. Just one question, not to 

 criticise Mr. Fraser, because he has told 

 the exact truth [reading] : 



"The London classification of skins is 

 based upon the length of the skin, and 

 then weight (p. 916, vol. 8, Proceedings of 

 the Bering Sea Tribunal)." 



Mr. Fraser. That is so; I do not dis- 

 pute that. (Hearing No. 1, pp. 29, 33, 

 June 2, 1911.) 



Mr. Elliott. The London people knew 

 nothing, and still know nothing, about the 

 age of seals, and they cared nothing, about 

 it. They were interested in the size and 

 the quality. They ascertained and 

 formed their idea of the skin's value pri- 

 marily by its measurement, and, secondly, 

 by its weight. The weight would vary. 

 Sometimes more salt and blubber are used 

 and sometimes less. But the measure- 

 ments were reasonably steady and con- 

 stant. They measure their sealskins. 

 We weighed ours on the islands. (Hearing 

 No. 1, p. 12, May 31, 1911.) 



The London authority declares 

 that the salted skins are heaviest, 

 and the island records confirm it. 



Mr. Elliott. I will go further, and sub- 

 mit a? Exhibit J this paper. 1 won't read 

 all of this in regard to the British authority 

 on Alaskan far-seal classification and what 

 he says, as compared with our tables; but 

 I will read one word from a chief British 

 authority in an official letter written De- 

 cember 21, 1892, by Sir Curtis Lampson's 

 sons to the British commissioners, Sir 

 George Baden-Powell and Dr. George M 

 Dawson. Sir Curtis Lampson says: 



"We are unable to answer your inquiry 

 as to in what class in the sales catalogue 

 would be placed a skin classified on the 

 islands as, say, a 7-pound skin, as we do not 



