INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 581 



be done not only to preserve and augment the number there but to 

 administer economically and profitably the killing of the seals ? 



Mr. Clark. One thing to be done is to repeal that provision of the 

 law of 1912 which suspends land killing of superfluous males for five 

 years and which provides for an excessive breeding reserve for nine 

 years succeeding that close season. That is the first and most impor- 

 tant thing. Of course, the administration of the islands should be 

 cared for by an adequate personnel of agents, naturalists, and others, 

 having to do with the care of the herd. The really essential thing to do 

 is to repeal the law and provide for the removal of the superfluous males. 

 If these animals are not removed and killed, they will simply grow 

 up as fighting bulls and work incalculable harm in the rookeries in 

 the trampling of the pups and the tearing of mother seals. 



Mr. McGuire. And will the condition which you last mentioned be 

 aggravated as time goes on under present arrangements ? 



Mr. Clark. It will simply grow in intensity each year. It will 

 last the full life of each bull, which is 13 or 14 years, beyond the ter- 

 mination of the close season. In that way it will extend its baleful 

 influence over the herd until 1934. We will not be rid of it until that 

 time. 



Mr. McGuire. In view of the facts developed since pelagic sealing 

 has been discontinued, are you certain that the diminution of the herd 

 was caused in the recent past by pelagic sealing ? 



Mr. Clark. I am certain that it has been caused by that form of 

 sealing. 



Mr. McGuire. What one particularly important fact has been dis- 

 covered by reason of the branding of the seal pups —that is, the year 

 they were born ? 



Mr. Clark. The important fact disclosed by that was that yearling 

 seals as a class, do not come to the hauling grounds in the killing 

 season. 



Mr. McGuire. That would mean that all this contention about 

 having taken yearlings in the past is settled by the fact that the year- 

 lings are not there until after the killing season; is that true? 



Mr. Clark. That is true. 



Mr. McGuire. There have been a great many charges against the 

 department for unlawful killing. You have been there as the repre- 

 sentative of the Government at various times. Will you tell us the 

 different years you were there as the Government's representative? 



Mr. Clark. I was on the islands in 1896, again in 1897, again in 

 1909, 1912, and 1913. 



Mr. McGuire. While you were there as the representative of the 

 Government has there at any time been unlawful killing, extrava- 

 gance, or waste, as charged by Henry W. Elliott, save and except a 

 negligible quantity due to mistakes in clubbing, and so forth, which 

 is inevitable in killing? 



Mr. Clark. Not to my knowledge. 



Mr. McGuire. Have the Government's representatives, so far as 

 you know, at all times when you were present performed their full 

 duty ? 



Mr. Clark. Yes, sir. 



Mr. McGuire. You made a report to the Secretary of Commerce 

 for 1913 % 



Mr. Clark. Yes; I did. 



