710 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir; because the law is one thing- 



Mr. Watkins (interposing). And the regulations another thing. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; but the regulations have the force of and are 

 the law. 



Mr. Watkins. I know, but I am talking about the statute in 

 reference 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). I see; you are constantly separating 

 the two points and I am grouping them together into one. 



The Chairman. Let me ask a question there. When they return 

 the first time, after they go out to sea on their first migration and 

 come back they are presumably a year old ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. But those seals remain yearlings until they get 

 to be 2-year olds ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir; until they come back from the second 

 migration. 



Mr. Watkins. I understand that; but he kept using the expres- 

 sion "a year old" so often that I did not know whether he was 

 making a distinction between those that were a year old and 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). Because Mr. Madden was bringing it 

 up to me, and I was answering him from the legal as well as the 

 biological standpoint. 



Now, Mr. Chairman, I desire to call your attention to the fact 

 that the fur trade in 1869 put the "small pup" salted seal skins of 

 London classification down at the bottom of the list in value, only 

 one grade over the little "black pups" which were absolutely worth- 

 less. In proof of this low rating of yearling skins which was preva- 

 lent then and has never changed in London up to date I submit to 

 the committee the following statement made by Taylor & Bendel, 

 fur merchants, San Francisco, Cal., October 20, 1869, as to the 

 ruling "Prices and Trades of Classification of Fur-Seal Skins," 1869: 



Our house sold seal skins in this city for $4 (gold) apiece, but other parties who 

 sent them to London at the same time received account sales, the prices obtained 

 averaging from 26 to 30 shillings, which is equal to about $6.50 to $7.50 there, less 

 freight insurance, commissions, etc. In this market they are generally sold at an 

 average price, but in London they are classified as follows: First, small, bringing 

 the highest price; second, middlings, bringing the second price; third, large pups, 

 bringing the third price; fourth, small wigs, bringing the fourth price; fifth, middling 

 pups, bringing the fifth price; sixth, large wigs, bringing the sixth price; seventh, 

 small pups, bringing the seventh price; black pups, cut and damaged. 



Thos. Taylor. 

 (Seal and Salmon Fisheries of Alaska, Vol. I, p. 8, 1898.) 



Observe, please, how well it was known back there in 1869, and on 

 record in the Treasury Department, as it is known to-day, that the 

 "small pups" are right down , at the bottom, the very dregs of the 

 catch on the islands. 



This declares that the fur-seal skin trade understood in 1869, as 

 well as it does to-day, 1914, that the "small pups" of the London 

 sales were the smallest skins taken above, the "black pups" and 

 "gray pups" or those from 2 and 3 months to 5 months old. 



The "small pups" above quoted are the same grade to-day, and 

 the very same yearlings which Carlisle prohibited the killing of in 

 1SD6, and which prohibition was never authoritatively repealed. 



I now reach a serious item concerning George A. Clark's sense and 

 credit; I shall brieflv sketch it out, as follows: 



