544 INVESTIGATION" OF THE EUK-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



of the act of Congress and the act of Parliament based upon the award by the Paris 

 Tribunal of Arbitration; fourth, what, if any, additional protective measures on land 

 or at sea, or changes in the present system of regulations as to the closed season, pro- 

 hibited zone, prohibition of arms, etc., are required to insure the preservation of the 

 fur-seal herd. 



Then, omitting something, the third item under this general state- 

 ment is : 



(3) Whether killing on land or sea has interfered with the regular habits and occu- 

 pation of the islands by the herd, or has operated to reduce the strength of the seal race 

 as a whole by natural selection. 



(4) The propriety of existing methods of driving seals from the hauling grounds to 

 the killing grounds, culling and other practices connected therewith. 



I need not detail the rest; but in the third and fourth items must 

 rest the responsibility of Dr. Jordan for land killing, if he had any 

 responsibility. We were there to examine and to report upon the 

 conditions of land sealing, as well as pelagic sealing. 



The Chairman. I am seeking to ask you this — it is noted on page 

 261 (97 of Elliott statement) of Hearing No. 1, at Paragraph VIII, 

 which reads as follows, this being the statement of Mr. Elliott: 



This work of Dr. David Starr Jordan in 1896 was repeated by him in 1897, and the 

 same covering given to the killing of small seals; and, on page 18 of his second pre- 

 liminary report, dated November 1, 1897. he says: 



"Last year the hauling grounds of the Pribilof Islands yielded 30,000 killable seals; 

 during the present season a quota of only 20,890 could be taken. To get these, it was 

 necessary to drive more frequently and cull the animals more closely than has been 

 done since 1889. The killing season was closed on July 27, 1896. Thi.3 year it was 

 extended on St. Paul to August 7 and on St. George to August 11. The quota to be 

 taken was left to our discretion, and every opportunity was given the lessees to take 

 the full product of the hauling grounds." 



Dr. Jordan has said in his report that the killing was left to their 

 discretion, including himself. 



Mr. Elliott. His discretion. 



The Chairman. No ; their discretion, including himself . 



Mr. Clark. I am glad to have an opportunity to answer that 

 matter. 



The Chairman. I will be glad to have you clear it up, if there is an 

 answer to it. 



Mr. Clark. The reason why the fur-seal herd was culled and driven 

 more closely than in 1896 was this: We had with us in 1896 and 1897 

 a keen British commission, who were pledged by the acts of their pre- 

 decessors to the theory that land sealing was injurious to the herd. 

 These men were very keen about these matters, but it was agreed 

 between Dr. Jordan and Professor Thompson that 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). Dr. Thompson was the British 

 representative ? 



Mr. Clark. He was at the head of the British commission (Con- 

 tinuing) that if the hauling grounds on the Pribilof Islands in 



1897 should show less seals or give a less quota than was given in 1896, 

 it would be taken by the two commissions as a measure of decline in 

 the herd. 



The Chairman. I do not know that that quite touches the point, so 

 I will repeat the question. It seems to me that you objected when 

 you first started in with your statement on this point, that Dr. Jordan 

 did not have control of the seals? 



Mr. Clark. I was speaking, of course, of 1896. 



The Chairman. Then, in 1897 he did have control, did he? 



