INVESTIGATION OF THE EUK-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 637 



Mr. Bruckner. Do you maintain, Mr. Lembkey, that if the bulls 

 were killed off every year — or bachelors, or whatever you choose to 

 calls them — the herds would prosper, would be better? The law 

 never allowed the killing of females, did it ? 



Mr. Lembkey. Never. 



Mr. Bruckner. Then what has become of the vast number of 

 females ? Where are they ? 



Mr. Lembkey. The females have been killed at sea. 



Mr. Bruckner. At sea ? 



Mr. Lembkey. At sea; yes, sir. 



Mr. Bruckner. Was that lawful ? 



Mr. Lembkey. It was not contrary to international law. 



Mr. McGuire. Is there any further statement, Mr. Lembkey, or 

 are you through ? 



Mr. Lembkey. I am through; yes. 



The Chairman. I just want to ask a few questions now, and then 

 I think we ought to adjourn, as it is nearly 4 o'clock. 



Mr. Lembkey, at page 383 of hearing No. 1, second column, you are 

 quoted as having made the following statement to the Ways and 

 Means Committee January 25, 1907, page 66, notes MS., typed. 



Mr. Lembkey. It is page 62. 



The Chairman. Page 66. This is the statement. I will read it to 

 you and then see what explanation, if any, you have to make: 



Mr. Lembkey. In 1890 conservative estimates placed the number of the Pribilof 

 Islands between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000. To-day there are probably not over 180,000 

 in the entire herd. 



Did you make that statement to the committee? 



Mr. Lembkey. I appeared before the committee, as near as I can 

 recollect, on that date, and I am willing to admit that those were my 

 statements. 



The Chairman. I should say that my attention has been called to 

 the fact "1890" ought to have been "1870." 



Mr. Williams (of Mississippi). At the end of 18 or 19 years, if no killing at all, you 

 think they would go back to between 4,000,000 and 5,000,000? 



Mr. Lembkey. I have no doubt they would. (Hearing on Fur Seals, Ways and 

 Means Committee, Jan. 25, 1907; p. 66, notes; MS. typed.) 



Mr. Lembkey. * * * so, that shows that in 15 years this (Robbens Reef) herd 

 had rehabilitated itself, and I suppose that if the Pribilof herd were left alone, immune 

 from land killing as well as sea killing, it would do the same thing. (Same hearings 

 before the Ways and Means Committee.) 



That was your sworn statement to the committee, was it not ? 



Mr. Lembkey. That was my statement to the committee. I do 

 not know whether I was sworn or not, but I was willing to swear to 

 it, of course. That was my off-hand belief at that time, yes.. 



The Chairman. Then if the herd has been reduced from 4,000,000 

 to 180,000 there must have been damage done to the Government of 

 many millions of dollars. Is that not a fact? 



Mr. Lembkey. Undoubtedly the Government lost the difference. 



The Chairman. Will you make a general statement of what you 

 think that would amount to ? 



Mr. Lembkey. The difference between 4,000,000 and 180,000 would 

 be 3,820,000. 



Mr. McGuire. Of skins ? 



Mr. Lembkey. Of skins. We might assume that they were worth 

 S25 apiece. They were worth $95,000,000 in round numbers, accord- 



