INVESTIGATION OF THE FUE-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 731 



Mr. Elliott. Did you want my opinion on it ? 



The Chairman. Why should it be necessary for the good of the 

 Government ? Was not this a closed seaaon, as established by Con- 

 gress ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. 



The Chairman. Then what good could come to the Government 

 by doing such a thing ? 



Mr. Elliott. Not a particle of good. 



Mr. McGuire. That is a matter of conjecture, a matter where 

 there might be a difference of opinion. Mr. Clark's testimony is that 

 it was done for experimental purposes. His testimony shows clearly 

 that perhaps no man is better informed or has been there more 

 than he, and he stated that he wanted to determine definitely, for 

 all time, as to just what the pups did do, whether they did return 

 during the hauling season, and that it was done of that purpose. 



Mr. Elliott. But his report in 1898 was that they do return, and 

 why does he want to do it over again. 



Mr. McGuire. You have had hundreds of reports of different 

 kinds, some right and some wrong, just as you say, and you quote 

 those that you agree with 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). No; 1 quote them all. 



Mr. Patton. You can not take exception to a man changing his 

 opinion. 



Mr. Elliott. But he has not changed his opinion. 



Mr. Patton. You have had to change your opinion ? 



Mr. Elliott. I would like to whenever I make a mistake. 



Mr. Patton. Because you made an assertion before the committee 

 in regard to the number of seals, and the report shows there were more. 



Mr. Elliott. You have got that entirely wrong. 



Mr. Patton. What did you say about the number up there ? 



Mr. Elliott. I said from their figures that if their census figures 

 were correct in 1904, there could not be a seal left alive in 1907 or 

 1908 (see Hearing No. 10, pp. 605-606, Apr. 24, 1912). However, 

 I am coming to that census; I am going to take that up. I am 

 coming to that pup count, and I am glad you raised that point. 



(Thereupon, by unanimous consent, a recess was taken until 10 

 o'clock, Thursday, March 12, 1914.) 



Committee on Expenditures in 



the Department op Commerce, 



House of Representatives, 



Thursday, March 12, 1914. 



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. Mr. Chairman, when we closed yesterday I had 

 reached that point where I described to you the method by which Mr. 

 Clark had fixed 6,000 pups in 1912 so that they could not get back to 

 the islands by June and July in 1913. 



It seems, however, from the sworn testimony given to this commit- 

 tee that Mr. Clark is not the first "expert" or "man of long experi- 



