546 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



1897, we could not have obtained that concession from the British 

 commission. That is all that is meant by driving more .strenuously 

 and longer in 1897. We kept the company at it, because it was our 

 only hope of being able to get from the British commission an agree- 

 ment that there was a diminution of bachelor seals. 



The Chairman. Then Dr. Jordan was at the head of it ? 



Mr. Clark. These instructions were sent to the agents. 



The Chairman. Was he not at the head of that, when he was up 

 there ? 



Mr. Clark. Certainly, of the investigation. But he had no control 

 over the killing. I had to read those instructions to Agent Joseph 

 Crowley in order to get permission to go on the rookeries without his 

 consent. We were not given unlimited authority except to observe 

 and to do the work of investigation which we were called upon to do. 



The Chairman. If I am not mistaken, I think that Crowley says 

 that the lessees had entire contiol of it. I think I saw that somewhere 

 in Hearing No. 1. 



Mr. Clark. I do not know anything about that. 



The Chairman. I can not point it out now, but I think that is 

 suggested as having come from Crowley, that he said the lessees had 

 entire control. 



Mr. McGuire. I fail to get the point, Mr. Clark, of why the repre- 

 sentative of the British commission protested against the Govern- 

 ment of the United States diminishing the number to be taken in 

 1897. Why did they want the number increased ? 



Mr. Clark. Perhaps I stated that rather loosely. I do not mean 

 that Canada protested to our Government, but the} 7 did to Dr. Jordan. 



The Chairman. What was their purpose? 



Mr. Clark. Because we had an agreement that a diminished 

 quota in 1897 would mean a diminished product to the hauling 

 grounds. The fact that the Government had said there was to be 

 taken only 15,000 seals in 1897 might cause Dr. Jordan to have 

 trouble with that agreement. It was begging the question to go up 

 there with a fixed quota for the second season. 



Mr. McGuire. Was it the contention of the British Government 

 that the number was not diminishing? 



Mi\ Clark. They did not wish to have it understood that the herd 

 was diminishing. They wanted to make it clear that pelagic sealing 

 was not injuring the herd. 



Mi*. McGuire. That was then* contention? 



Mr. Clark. The representation of the pelagic sealers was that the 

 seals were unlimited, and that eaij diminution of their quota was due 

 to storms and other reasons. 



The Chairman. On page 100 of Hearing No. 1, under the note, it 

 is said: 



In his official report dated St. Paul Island, November 1, 1896, Chief Special Agent 

 I.«B. Crowley, says: "The killing is entirely directed by the agents of the lessees, 

 who direct the grade of seals to be taken." 



Mr. Clark. I know nothing of that. I have never seen it. 

 The Chairman. I suppose this next line is only commentary to 

 that: 



Thus the order of J. Stanley Brown of July 8, 1892, was acquiesced in by both Crow- 

 ley and Dr. Jordan. 



