714 investigation op the fuk-seal industry of alaska. 



Committee on Expenditures in the 



Department of Commerce, 

 House of Representatives, 



Wednesday, March 11, 191^. 



The committee this day met, Hon. John H. Rothermel (chairman) 

 presiding. 



TESTIMONY OF MR. HENRY W. ELLIOTT— Continued. 



The Chairman. Mr. Elliott, you may proceed. 



Mr. Elliott. I closed yesterday, Mr. Chairman, with an analysis 

 of the skins. I now want to take up an analysis of the appearance 

 of the yearlings on the islands which Mr. George A. Clark denied 

 under oath, as having been established by him through an "experi- 

 ment" which he made in 1912 and 1913. 



George A. Clark, February 20-24, 1914, under oath, duly testified to 

 the House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of Com- 

 merce, that the yearling seals did not haul out on the haulings ground 

 of the Pribilof Island during the months of June and July, annually: 

 and therefore, not being there, could not have been killed for their 

 skins by the lessees between 1890 and 1910, inclusive. 



The official reports of the United States Treasury agents in charge 

 of the Seal Islands of Alaska from 1869 up to 1906, all uniformly 

 deny Mr. Clark's statement. Eleven sworn reports made by these 

 government agents all deny Mr. Clark's sworn testimony, as above 

 cited, to wit: 



In re "Yearlings." 1869-1891. The official reports annually 

 made by the United States chief special, and assistant agents in 

 charge of the Seal Islands of Alaska, who all report specifically, and 

 who declare that the yearling fur seals haul out annually as early as 

 June, to appear on the hauling grounds, and in the drives for killing, 

 from that time on to the end of the legal sealing season, July 31, viz: 



Reports dated: 



1870, December 30. S. N. Buynitzley, see page 19, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, 

 Alaska, Volume I, 1896-1898. 



1872, September 5. Charles Bryant, see page 36, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume II 1896-1898. 



1873, September 30. Charles Bryant, see page 40, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume I, 1S96-1898. 



1874, August 1. Samuel Falconer, see page 57, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume I, 1896-1898. 



1875, October 11. Charles Bryant, see page 65, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume I, 1896-1898. 



1876, September 26. Charles Bryant, see page 92, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, 

 Alaska, Volume I, 1896-1S98. 



1877, July "2S. J. H. Moulton, see page 97, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume I, 1896-1898. 



1878, May 15. John Morton, see pages 104-105, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume I, 1S96-1898. 



1S79, September 25. H. G. Otis, see page 117, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, 

 Volume I. 1896-1S98. 



He is now the editor of the Los Angeles, Cal., Times. 

 Mr. Stephens. Is that Gen. Otis? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. Here are four sworn reports from him which 

 I am going to quote. 



1880, July 30. H. G. Otis, see page 132, Seal and Salmon Fisheries, Alaska, Volume 

 I, 1896-1898. 



