444 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. Clark. No; it is 1893. 



The Chairman. Oh, we have just gone over 1909, and I will tell 

 you the reason, and the committee also: If the sealing company took 

 about 7,000 seals in violation of the regulations, in 1909, they simply 

 took about $250,000 worth of Government property that belonged to 

 the United States in the following year, so that it is very important 

 that you tell the exact truth, because you were the agent sent up there 

 by the Government. It is very apparent to everybody that in 1910 

 the sealing company had no longer any right to take seals. If they 

 had cleaned up the young seals in 1909, which they had no right to do, 

 it would be only right for them to pay back to the Government the 

 amount of damage they did. Now I say this because you were the 

 agent for the Government to go there to make this examination, and 

 if they took the Government property in 1910 we ought to know it. 



Mr. Clark. Might I state that I do not believe they did ? I think 

 they cleaned up the hauling ground but I do not say that they took 

 property that ought to have been left for the next year, because in 

 the next year they got a quota practically the same as the year before. 



The Chairman. That is only because they had a similar quota the 

 next year ? 



Mr" Clark. Yes. 



The Chairman. And that is your only explanation? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. Now, turn to page 893 



Mr. Clark (interposing). Can we return to the London weights, so 

 that 1 can discuss tne weights of 1910? 



The Chairman'. Well, we arc on 1909. 



Mr. Clark. We have no London weights or measurements for the 

 190!) i kins. 



The Chairman, Very well, then, we will pass that. I prefer to go 

 on with, this point ' ecause of the reasons 1 have stated. 



Mr. M \<.i ii;i.. 1 know; but it will be with the understanding that 

 he ma ; return to I later. 



The Cb \ii:m an. Yes. Suppose you turn to page 866 of your report 

 in Appendix A. I call your attention to the following: 



There has been on the killing grounds since 1900 a constant struggle on the part of 

 the leasing company in the closing years of its concession to get every possible skin 

 from the declining herd. 



Is that correct? 

 Mr. Clark. 5 es, sir. 



The Chairman. Then, on page S92, I find the following: 



The drive from Zapadni this morning gives 585 skins. It is the largest drive from 

 this rookery for this season. Those killed constitute 79 per cent of all the animals 

 driven. ( >nly 39, too small, are turned back. The cl< »f the driving is evident 



from the fact that 10 cows are recognized; 2 are accidentally killed. 



That is correct '. 



Mr. Clark. 1 recall the killing of those two cows, and I suppose 



that is 



The Chairman (interposing). Well, that is in your report. 



Mr. Cl u;k. Yes, sir: it is. 



The Chairman. You were on the islands in 1S96 and 1S97? 



Mr. (i \i:k. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. With the Fur Seal Commission ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes. sir. 



