782 INVESTIGATION OF the fur-seal INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; I urged him to agree to a suspension of that 

 killing. That was the purpose of rny letter. 



Mr. McGuire. I have here a copy of letter dated March 31, 1891, 

 purporting to be a letter written by Henry W. Elliott to D. O. Mills, 

 15 Broad Street, New York, which reads as follows: 



Dear Sir: I know I have been repeatedly repiesented as working to injure your 

 interests on the seal islands, but I have felt certain that as soon as my report was pub- 

 lished you would at once recognize the untruth of the charge and respect me all the 

 more. 



But my report has not yet been published, because after a consultation with Mr. 

 Blaine I freely left it in his own hands to use in his own time and manner during the 

 pending negotiations, for, unless he can do something to stop this raid of open-water 

 sealers, then there is no use in our attempting to save the seal life by new regulations 

 on the islands. 



Mr. Elliott. Quite right; entirely right, sir. 

 Mr. McGuire (reading) : 



In the first place, I told Mr. Blaine that the Canadians would not believe my state- 

 ments; that they would simply regard me as having made up a case of distress to 

 aid him in his argument of injury done. Therefore, I urged that he invite them to 

 visit the islands and see the truth for themselves. This he has done, and I hope that 

 the President and Mr. Blaine will select one or two competent good men to meet the 

 Bridsh agents in behalf of our Government. When this commission has gone care- 

 fully over the field next summer it will find that I have been conservative and accu- 

 rate in my work. 



Mr. Elliott. This is it; this is the work [indicating]. 

 Mr. McGuire (reading) : 



In anticipation of the visit of that commission, I inclose for your information a brief 

 epitome of the status of the seal life as I found it in 1872-1874 and again 16 years later, 

 last summer; and I am quite confident that as you read through it you will be im- 

 pressed with the gravity of the danger which confronts the perpetuation of these fur 

 seal rookeries. 



Assuming that pelagic sealing would be checked when I finished my report last 

 December, it seemed to me only right that during the period of restoration of these 

 shattered interests that the Government Bhould make a full rebate of rental, assume 

 the full cost of feeding, clothing, houses and fuel for the natives, school teachers and 

 physicians: then when killing could be resumed the company could come right for- 

 ward and again assume these charges; also, the time lust from the period of the lease 

 could he made up by a special act of Congress, and it would be done as all fairness and 

 equity suggested it. 



Very sincerely, your friend and servant, 



Henry W. Elliott. 



D. 0. Mills, Esq., 



15 Broad Street, New York. 



The Chairman. Is the original in existence ? 



Mr. Elliott. That is nry letter; that is right. 



The Chairman. I want to know whether the originalis in existence ? 



Mr. McGuire. 1 do not know; but 1 think it is. 



The Chairman. Do you know where it is i 



Mr. McGuire. The department would have it, I think. 



The Chairman. Here i 



Mr. McGuire. I think so. 



Mr. Elliott. It is right in this report of mine, November 17, 1890 — 

 i. e., those very words are in that report. 1 have recited my report in 

 this letter in advance to him. 



The Chairman. If the original is in existence, I would like to look 

 at it ! 



Mr. McGuire. Now, Mr. Elliott, you changed your mind about 

 those gentlemen ( 



