INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 811 



Mr. Elliott. I see that statement in this publication here. I 

 never saw it before. This is the first time in my life I have ever 

 seen it. 



The Chairman. Is that your explanation ? 



Mr. Elliott. That is my explanation. I do not deny that 

 publication. 



Mr. McGuire. That is all. 



Mr. Elliott. I do not deny that publication; but, I have never 

 seen it until now, and have never seen those notes before. 



Mr. McGuire. I was also requested to furnish the original of a 

 purported copy from which I read, hearing before Committee on 

 Merchant Marine and Fisheries, January 8, 1888, page 146. I have 

 here the original. 



Mr. Elliott. I do not question that. I did not yesterday. I am 

 familiar with that. I have seen all that and moreover I revised my 

 notes on that. The notes of that hearing were given to me, and I 

 revised them. Chairman Dunn allowed me to do that in his office. 

 This other set of "notes" I never saw before. 



Mr. McGuire. I believe you said the diminishing of the seal herd 

 in Alaska was caused by land and not by pelagic sealing. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, I said in 1890, that the prime evil was the land 

 killing, ably seconded by the pelagic hunters. I wanted both abol- 

 ished. 



Mr. McGuire. In 1890 ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; that was the first time I ever brought in this- 

 question of extermination of the herd, in my report of 1890. 



Mr. McGuire. Since 1890 and up to the time of the discontinuance 

 of pelagic sealing 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). I have held the same views I expressed 

 in 1890. 



Mr. McGuire. What are those views, briefly. 



Mr. Elliott. That the primary cause of destruction of the herd 

 was the land killing; the primary cause. I have stated it here in 

 my report to Secretary Windom, November 19, 1874. 



Mr. McGuire. That is the way I understood you. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir; you are entirely right; primarily, first, land 

 killing; second, pelagic hunting. 



Mr. McGuire. You offered some testimony before the Committee 

 on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, June 8, 1888? 



Mr. Elliott. Oh, yes. 



Mr. McGuire. At page 140. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; I do not question anything you read from that, 

 Mr. McGuire. 



Mr. McGuire. This question was asked you: "Do you think that 

 protection in the waters away from the islands essential to the pro- 

 tection of the herd in the rookeries?" 



Your answer was: 



I think the indiscriminate hunting of seals in open waters of Bering Sea would 

 result in the extermination of these rookeries in anywhere from two to three year. 



Do you remember when you made that answer ? 



Mr. Elliott. I remember it distinctly. 



Mr. McGuire. This question was asked you: 



In spite of all the care we could take? 



A. That would not have the slightest effect. 



