INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 485 



The Chairman. If Mr. Lembkey told the truth, you are mistaken, 

 are you not ? 



Mr. Clark. I can not see it, quite. 



The Chairman. Is that all you want to say about that ? 



Mr. Patton. Your estimate was made on skins weighed on the 

 island, was it not ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Patton. And the estimate Mr. Lembkey gave was from the 

 weights or measurements of skins, or the record of them, given in 

 London ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Patton. And there is a difference between the weight of the 

 green skins and the weight of a salted skin. The weight of the salted 

 skin would be less than the weight on the island, would it not ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGltre. This witness seems to have a prepared statement, 

 and I would like to inquire how would this arrangement do — that 

 whenever a member of the committee desires to ask the witness any 

 question, to make a note of it, and make it a rule not to break the 

 continuity of the witness's statement any more than possible. Of 

 course, we are discussing matters that are matters in controversy, but' 

 it occurs to me that it would be better to allow him to make a con- 

 nected statement, and then after lie has completed his statement, we 

 can take exception to such portions of it as we like, or question him 

 with a view to obtaining further information on the subject. I 

 merely make that as a suggestion. I think the record would be better 

 if that rule were observed. 



The Chairman. I think it would be better to conduct the hearing 

 as we have been doing. Of course, if the committee wants to test the 

 other method, they can do so. 



I am not quite through with this particular point here: On page 

 905 of these hearings, No. 14, Mr. Lembkey stated that of the 1910 

 catch 7,733 out of 12,920 skins were the skins of small pups and 

 extra small pups. 



Mr. Clark. This was made before we determined that salted skins 

 depreciated in weight, so Mr. Lembkey might change his statement 

 now. 



The Chairman. Is this a correct statement by Mr. Lembkey, which 

 was made under oath % 



Mr. Clark. How can I tell ? 



The Chairman. Do you still mean to say that only 711 small pups 

 or extra small pups, or yearlings, were taken out of that total of 

 93,323 seals since 1904? 



Mr. Clark. I say that 711 animals, which under the regulation 

 weights may be assumed to be yearlings, were killed in that manner. 



The Chairman. Then you do not want to say that 1,528 extra 

 small pups were taken in the catch of 1910 out of a total of 12,920 

 seals ? 



Mr. Clark. You are bringing up a situation with which I am not 

 at all familiar. I have not tested these figures as given here. 



The Chairman. You stated a moment ago under oath that the 

 agents of the Government performed their duties faithfully. Now, 

 when Mr. Lembkey comes before this committee and under oath 

 tells us that 1,528 extra small pups were taken in the catch of 1910, 



