770 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUK-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. McGuiee. Are you properly quoting the witnesses for the 

 Government ? 



Mr. Elliott. I am. 



Mr. McGuire. I will ask you whether this was not their testimony: 

 That a salted skin was lighter, after it had been salted and remained 

 .salted for some time 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). Four or five days? 



Mr. McGuire. And the salt then extracted from the skin than when 

 it was taken from the seal. 



Mr. Elliott. That was an afterthought of theirs. I deny 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). Wait now. You say that was an 

 afterthought ? 



Mr. Elliott. That was an afterthought. 



Mr. McGuire. Was that the testimony of the departmental offi- 

 cials ? 



Mr. Elliott. I never disputed that; but that is not what 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). You never disputed that? Now, let 

 us get your position; let us get that clear: That a skin after having 

 been taken from the seal and salted, shipped, and then the salt 

 extracted 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). No; I deny 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). Wait; I am asking you a question. 

 Then the salt extracted, and then that that skin is lighter than it 

 was when taken from the seal ? 



Mi'. Elliott. No; you have not stated my case at all. 



Mr. McGuire. I am asking you a questior. 



Mi\ Elliott. You have not slated my position. 



Air. McGuire. I will ask you again. After a skin has been salted, 

 when taken from a seal, and remained in salt, we will say, a definite 

 length of time, say, four weeks 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). No matter how long, until it is shipped. 



Mr. McGuire. Then the salt extracted from the skin, the skin taken 

 out and the salt shaken ofi of it, is that skin then lighter or heavier 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). I have never taken any such position. 



Mr. McGuire. Than when taken from the salt? 



Mi-. Elliott. That is a proposition that I know nothing about. 



Mr. McGuire. You have never made any experiments with respect 

 to that matter? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; I weighed bundles in 1874, and I knew they 

 were heavier. 



Mr. McGuire. You have not any opinion as to whether a skin when 

 salted, which has remained in salt for some time and then the salt 

 extracted, is lighter or heavier than when taken from the salt? 



Mr. Elliott. Oh, yes; I have had a very good opinion about that. 



Mr. McGuire. What is that opinion? 



Mr. Elliott. It would be lighter, of course; but that is not what 

 I contend about. 



Mr. McGuire. Well, that is what I wanted to know about. 



Mr. Elliott. Of course, that stands to reason. 



Mr. McGuire. Has anybody testified before this committee, who 

 represented the Government, that a sealskin was lighter with the 

 salt on than it was when taken from the salt ? 



Mr. Elliott. They have testified here that the seals were lighter 

 when they got to London in the salt than they were when they left 



