THE RUSSIAN FUR-SEAL ISLANDS. 
99 
Comparison of the catches at Commander Islands and Tiuleni with those at Pr ihi/lof Islands. 
Tear. 
Commander 
Inlands 
and Linleui. 
Pribylof 
Islands. 
1874 
Slins. 
31, 300 
36, 279 
26, 900 
21, 533 
31, 340 
42, 740 
Stms. 
107, 932 
101, 249 
89, 478 
77, 956 
101, 394 
106, 908 
1875 
187G 
1877 
1878 
1879 
Year. 
Commander 
Islands 
and Tiuleni. 
Pribylof 
Islands. 
Skins. 
Skins. 
1880 
48, 504 
lOi), 624 
1881 
43, 522 
101, 734 
1882 
44, 620 
101, 730 
1883 
28, 699 
77, 063 
1884 
53, 263 
101, 013 
There are a number of published stateineuts referring to the seal catch on the 
Commander Islands since 1871, but none of them are complete, nor are the figiues 
given for the separate islands. The figures also vary to some extent, for several rea- 
sons. In some cases the Tiuleni Island skins have been counted in 'svitli those of the 
Commander Islands. Thus, in Capt. G. Niebaum’s statement (Fur Seal Arb., iii, p. 
204), by inadvertence the number of killed seals for 1800, 53,780, includes 1,450 skins 
from Tiuleni, the total for the Commander Islands being oiily 52,324. Many other dis- 
crepancies are explained by the fact that the vai ious figures refer to various counts. 
Some may and do refer to skins shipped, others to seals killed. The almost unavoid- 
able difference in the counting of such large quantities of skins is manifest when we 
remember that the skins are lirst counted at the salt-house and then again as they go 
over the ship’s side into the hull. Ui)on these counts the official government statement 
is made up. The skins are then iinloaded in Petropaulski, again loaded into the steamer, 
and again unloaded and counted in Sau Francisco. It is, therefore, not to be expected 
that lists made up from the various figures in the island count, the ship’s count, and 
the custom-house count would agree exactly. The figures given in tlie following table 
are based chieily upon the various station journals as well as the ships’ logs, partly 
upon the figures already published, and partly u[)on a list showing the number of 
seals shipped between 1883 and 1891 from Bering and Copper islands separately, kindly 
furnished by Mr. Max Heilbronner, of the Alaska Commercial Company. 
Number of fur-seal skins shipped from. Commander Islands and Pohhen Island from 1871 to 1895, inclusive. 
Tear. 
Bering 
Island. 
Copper 
Island. 
liobben 
Island. 
Total. 
1871 
0 
3, 658 
0 
3,658 
1872 
14, 392 
14, 964 
0 
29, 356 
1873 
13, 044 
14, 661 
2, 694 
30. 399 
1874 
13,406 
15,480 
2,414 
31, 300 
1875 
12, 712 
20, 440 
3, 127 
36, 279 
1876 
10,358 
15, 074 
1,528 
26, 960 
1877 
7, 192 
11, 392 
2, 049 
21, 533 
1878 
8, 130 
20, 070 
3, 140 
31. 340 
1879 
13, 572 
25, 166 
4,002 
42, 740 
1830 
15, 160 
30, 014 
3,330 
48. 504 
1881 
16, 078 
23, 237 
4,207 
43, 522 
1882 
18, 512 
22, 002 
4, 106 
44. 620 
1883 
13. 480 
13, 170 
2, 049 
28, 699 
1884 
21,384 
28, 060 
3,819 
53, 263 
Tear. 
Bering 
Island. 
Copper 
Island. 
Robbeii 
Island. 
Total. 
1885 
20, 066 
20. 771 
1,838 
43, 575 
1886 
24, 5,55 
80, 036 
0 
54, 591 
1887 
21,298 
25, 049 
0 
46, 347 
1888 
26, 456 
20, 906 
0 
47, 362 
1889 
23, 783 
29, 076 
0 
52, 859 
1890 
19, 996 
32, 328 
1,456 
53. 780 
1891 
17, 884 
118,065 
450 
36, 815 
1892 
16, 590 
14,654 
0 
31, 244 
1893 
13, 992 
17,294 
1,500 
82, 786 
1894 
13, 165 
13, 122 
1, 000 
27, 287 
1895 
9, 526 
6, 893 
1, 300 
17 719 
Total.. . 
385, 631 
485, 582 
44, 909 
916, 122 
*Of these, Hutchinson, Kohl, Philippeus & Co. shipped 4,059; the Eussian Seal Skin Co. shipped 13,825. 
t Of these, Uutchiusou, Kohl, Philippeus & Co. shipped 1 741; the Kussian Seal Skin Co. shipped 10,324. 
To this total should be added 41G skins taken from the schooner J. H. Lewis, 
seized in 1801, and 2,152 skins taken in 1892 from the seized schooners, which obtained 
them chiefly off Copper Island. The latter skins were sold by the Russian Govern- 
