482 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. Clark. I wanted to discuss that question at some length with 

 you yesterday, but I was prevented from doing so at the time by the 

 ■cross-examination. I want to take up the discussion of it and go 

 into it thoroughly. 



The Chairman. When you make a statement of that kind, I want 

 to call your attention to it. I do not want to cross-examine you. 



Mr. Clark. Of course, there have always been different grades of 

 skins, and the different grades and sizes are not peculiar to the catch 

 of 1910. You will find in the London classification which was sup- 

 plied to the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration those categories all listed 

 showing the catch of the Alaska Commercial Co. There have always 

 heen skins of varying sizes. That is why the weights were put 

 there — that is, the weights limiting the catch to 5 pounds minimum 

 and 8£ pounds maximum. Therefore, the skins ranged in size 

 between those two figures. 



The Chairman. If the skins were those of large pups, then the 

 Government in its last three years received about $250,000 or $300,000 

 less than it should have received. 



Mr. Clark. In the same way the company received less for the 

 small skins than they did for the large skins. 



The Chairman. Then the small skins were taken from " small" 

 pups ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. The "small" pup, according to the London 

 catalogue, is a 2-year-old. The "small" pup of the London cata- 

 logue is a 2-year-old seal, and the "extra small pup" is a yearling. 



The Chairman. In the London catalogue ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. Then, if the London catalogue shows that there 

 were more extra small pups than you have stated — you stated that 

 711 were killed — you are mistaken, are you not? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir: if the interpretation is properly made. I 

 want to discuss this matter fully later on, because it is hard to bring 

 it to a focus here. 



Mr. Watkins. I want to ask you this, whether it is a fact that all 

 the sales that are made of these sealskins, and referred to as sales 

 made under London classifications, are made in London — that is, 

 •whether all the sales that are made anywhere go through that market ? 



Mr. Clark. I believe they have in the past. 



Mr. Watkins. That is the first proposition, and the next is whether 

 the sealskins which they buy there and sell there necessarily come 

 from the territory which we are discussing now ? 



Mr. Clark. Not necessarily. There are skins which come from 

 the Uruguayan Government's seal islands at the mouth of the River 

 Plata, and there are skins from Cape Horn. 



Mr. Watkins. Then, what designation is there, if any, by which 

 you determine from the catalogue where the seals came from? 



Mr. Clark. There is nothing that I know of. There are also 

 sealskins taken from the Commander Islands which belong to Russia. 

 The London catalogue may distinguish them or may not. I do not 

 see how they could. Does that cover your question ? 



Mr. Watkins. That answers the question, but I do not know about 

 the accuracy of it, because there is a diversity of opinion about that. 



Mr. Clark. That is a matter of record, however. There always 

 has been a seal catch off Cape Horn and a small catch upon the Uru- 



