INVESTIGATION OF THE FUE-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 671 



Mr. Gallagher. I never heard him make that objection. 



Mr. Stephens. When did you first hear about this suggestion 

 relative to the width ? 



Mr. Gallagher. That was first brought to my attention when I 

 read Mr. Clark's report. 



Mr. Stephens. When did you read that.? 



Mr. Gallagher. I read that on the way to St. Louis. 



Mr. Stephens. After you had left the islands ? 



Mr. Gallagher. Yes ; sir; in November. 



The Chairman. You went to St. Louis at the instance of the 

 Department of Commerce to set aside these 400 skins ? 



Mr. Gallagher. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. To separate them from the others ? 



Mr. Gallagher. Yes, sir. 



By unanimous consent a recess was taken until 2 o'clock p. m. 



AFTER RECESS. 



The committee reconvened at 2 o'clock p. m. pursuant to the 

 taking of recess. 



TESTIMONY OF ME. HENRY W. ELLIOTT. 



The Chairman. Mr. Elliott, do you want to proceed further? 



Mr. Elliott. I do. I have not been heard at all that I know of. 



The Chairman. Is it your desire to answer certain statements 

 made bv Mr. Clark? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; that is the chief object I have. 



The Chairman. You were sworn? 



Mr. Elliott. I have been sworn. I was sworn on the 13th of 

 October, and I am still under oath. 



The Chairman. If it be agreeable to the committee you may pro- 

 ceed with your statement, and confine it to the real issues. 



Mr. Elliott. Nothing else. I will not waste a word, Mr. Chair- 

 man, outside of that. 



Mr. George A. Clark admits that " the whole fur-seal difficulty at the 

 present time, turns" on a correct understanding of what the Russian 

 killing on the Pribilof Islands was, as to the slaughter of seals between 

 1800-1834, inclusive: he testified, Monday afternoon, February 23, 

 1914, to wit: 



Mr. Clark. The whole fur-seal difficulty at the present time turns on that. If the 

 Russians killed only males, then you have a right to stop land killing, and to say that 

 land killing had something to do with the present state of our herd. If the Russians 

 killed females, then the crisis through which the herd passed in 1835 was due to killing 

 of females just as the crisis through which the herd has passed in 1911 has been due 

 to killing of the females by pelagic sealers on the high seas. 



Mr. McGuire. This is one of the most material points that has been up. 



This declaration hj Mr. Clark, and affirmative by Mr. McGuire, is 

 absolutely true, and is the fact. 



Now, what are those Russian records, and who has falsified them ? 



Either Dr. Jordan has, or I have done so. 



I will take up the Yahnovsky record first, and then this which is 

 the only official Russian record, indisputable and authentic, that we 

 have ever been able to find bearing on the question, will be under- 

 stood by this committee. Then I will exhibit the vagaries of Ven- 



