Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

[Inclosure.]

Extract from a report of the committee of the honorable the privy council, approved by his excellency on the 26th April, 1895.

The committee of the privy council have had under consideration the annexed report from the minister of marine and fisheries, dated 20th April, 1895, in connection with certain information touching Canadian pelagic sealing in 1893 and 1894, which had been requested by the United States Government.

The committee advise that your excellency be moved to forward a certified copy of this report, together with its appendixes, to the right honorable the principal secretary of state for the colonies.

All which is respectfully submitted for your excellency’s approval.

John J. McGee,
Cleric of the Privy Council.

Annex A.

Marine and Fisheries, Canada,
Ottawa, April 20, 1895.

To His Excellency the Governor-General, in Council:

The undersigned has the honor to revert to an approved minute of council dated 2d April, 1895 (750 J).

In referring to a dispatch from his excellency Her Majesty’s ambassador at Washington, dated 19th February, conveying the request of the United States Government for certain information touching Canadian pelagic sealing in 1893 and 1894, this minute of council incidentally announced that much of the information was already in the hands of Her Majesty’s Government.

It was also stated that the undersigned had caused steps to be taken to procure from Victoria, British Columbia, such supplementary information in the direction, indicated as might be obtainable.

The undersigned has now the honor to report to your excellency that he has received the information asked for, which he appends to this report, together with the correspondence with the collector of customs at Victoria on the subject, as follows:

1.: Letter to Mr. A. R. Milne, 8th March, 1895.
2.: Letter from Mr. A. R. Milne, 30th March, 1895, inclosing (a) letter from Mr. J. C. Nixon; (b) summary of catch by British Columbia sealing fleet, 1893 and 1894; (c) detailed statement of catch in Bering Sea in 1894, showing latitude and longitude, where taken, and sexes of seals; (d) detailed statement, 1893, showing vessels, tonnage, crews, hunters (whether white or Indian); (e) detailed statement, 1894, showing vessels, tonnage, crews, hunters (whether white or Indian).

The undersigned would observe that the United States Secretary of State, in his request for information, desired to be informed whether the skins taken by British pelagic sealers were examined as to sex by expert inspectors, as was done in the case of skins entered at United States ports.

Your excellency will observe, from the appendixes to this report, that the undersigned in seeking the information asked for gave considerable prominence to this point, with the object of elucidating whether any practical benefit was likely to accrue from such a course, whether or not it had been hitherto practiced.

Information was sought as to the practicability and value of such a means and its effectiveness toward establishing the sex of the animals from which the skins were taken.

Also whether it was considered to be reliable in establishing the sexes of the seals killed, whether it could be adopted, and whether, in view of the log records on this particular point, demanded by the terms of the award, such a course, if practicable and effective, would be necessary or useful, even in insuring, by the check it might afford, more careful attention to the examination by the masters of the vessels of the seals killed at sea, and the consequent greater accuracy in their log entries.

From the information elicited on this point it appears that the skins taken by the Canadian pelagic sealers were not so examined by expert inspectors at the time of landing at Victoria and Vancouver.

There also appears to be some ground on the Canadian Pacific Coast for doubting that the skins landing in San Francisco and Puget Sound ports were examined as to sex by expert inspectors.

The collector of customs gathers that little credence is given to the statement that an expert examination of the skins was made, inasmuch as it would be unreliable and uncertain.

The separation of the female from the male skins at the time of landing must, it [Page 637] is stated, be mainly determined by the teats, which it is well known occur with male as well as female seals, while a further complication arises from the fact that quite a number of the females are barren, and the teats on the skins taken from such animals would not be more prominent than on those taken from males.

Your excellency’s attention is also invited to the statement that both in San Francisco and at Victoria a young, inexperienced lad was engaged by the firm of Liebes Brothers, the largest furriers on the Pacific Coast, to examine some seal skins which they were about to purchase (presumably as to sex), and the reported opinions of reliable sealers and furriers as to the nature of such an examination in view of the lack of either experience or intelligence by the examiner requisite to determine the point.

The undersigned would further refer to the statement in the collector’s letter, that formerly the matter had been the subject of much consideration among those interested in the sealing business, with the result that the opinion prevailed that very few experts are able to determine the sex from an examination of the skins after they have been salted and mixed.

It seems that all the rules as to the color of the hair and the whiskers of the animals, as well as to the condition of the fur, have proven unreliable.

The positive assertion is ventured that the only time when the sex can be correctly determined is during the operations of skinning the animals, when each pelt could be ticketed.

The collector instances the opinion of the late Mr. Davis, representative in Victoria of the firm of Ullan & Sons, fur dealers, of New York and St. Paul. This gentleman is referred to as possessing expert knowledge in the purchase of furs, particularly seal skins.

In 1891 Mr. Davis met the sealing fleet at its rendezvous off Olitak Bay to transfer the skins to the steamer Danube previous to the departure of the sealing schooners for the Asiatic waters.

He is represented as having emphatically stated that it was virtually impossible to distinguish the sexes of the animals from which the skins were taken by the teats or otherwise, the only sure way being observations during the process of flaying, although in exceptional cases of very choice skins the sex might be determined. In the case of barren females, however, the distinction was practically impossible.

A further instance is cited of an examination in 1892 of about 200 skins at Victoria. Mr. Macoun, of Ottawa, Mr. Munsie, of Victoria, and several others failing to determine the sexes of the animals from which these skins were taken, notwithstanding they were selected and pronounced by Mr. Koutzouer (an expert for Messrs. Boscowitz & Co.) to be the product from male seals. The teats proved to be as prominent as those to be found upon the skins of any female seal.

It is admitted, however, that the pelt of a female seal, killed while very heavy with young, may be determined from its peculiar shape.

The collector expresses the opinion that expert examination of seal skins would be almost impracticable, while its effectiveness would be uncertain in establishing the sex of seals from which they were taken. Hence, it would not be necessary or useful; but he believes that if the sealers, in addition to keeping accurate log entries as to their fishing operations, were compelled to label or tag each skin as to the sex of the animal, at the time of flaying, the most reliable evidence obtainable would be insured.

The undersigned would further invite your excellency’s attention to the statement that 1,037 skins were landed in Victoria and sold from the State of Washington, United States of America, during 1894, which were not examined as to sex by experts.

Also to the letter from Mr. J. C. Nixon, of Seattle, stating that the skins landed at the Puget Sound ports were not examined by experts. In the light of the evidence contained in the appendices to this report, the undersigned is of opinion that such an examination of the salted seal skins, when landed at the home ports, would prove of little utility in establishing the sexes of the seals killed.

The undersigned recommends that a copy of this report, if approved, together with its appendices, be forwarded to the right honorable Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for the colonies.

Respectfully submitted.

John Costigan.

Annex B.

Ottawa, March 8, 1895.

A. R. Milne, Esq.,
Collector of Customs, Victoria, British Columbia.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that a request of the United States Secretary of State for certain information in respect of the Canadian sealing fleet and their [Page 638] operations during the seasons of 1893 and 1894 has been communicated to the Government by his excellency Her Majesty’s ambassador at Washington—

(1): The total number of seals taken by British vessels in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, both on the Asiatic and American sides.
(2): The total number of skins landed at British ports by said vessels.
(3): The total number transhipped in Japanese or Russian ports, including any that may have been ultimately entered at Victoria.
(4): The number of skins landed as entered at Victoria by American vessels.
(5): A report as to the sex of all skins taken in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
(6): Location of the place of catch by latitude and longitude.
(7): The names of all vessels employed, tonnage, number of crew, and number of seal hunters, indicating whether whites or Indians.
(8): The further request is made that information may be given as to whether the skins taken by the Canadian pelagic sealers were examined as to sex by expert inspectors, as was done in the case of skins entered in United States ports.

The honorable the minister of marine and fisheries would be pleased if you will obtain the information as above intimated and classified, or such of it as is procurable, and forward it to this department at your earliest convenience.

With regard to section 8, touching the expert inspection of skins when landed with a view to determining the sex of the animals from which they were taken, it is presumed that no measures of this nature have hitherto been adopted at Victoria or Vancouver.

The department would, however, like to have your opinion as to the practicability and value of such a means and its effectiveness toward the end in view.

Also, if it is considered to be reliable in establishing the sexes of the seals killed whether in your opinion it could be adopted, and whether in view of the log records on this point, required by the terms of the award, such a course, if practicable and effective, would be necessary or useful.

It may be that the adoption of an inspection of this character would, by the check it afforded, insure more careful attention to the examination, by the masters of the vessels, of the seals killed at sea and greater accuracy in their consequent log entries.

I have the honor, etc.,

John Hardie,
Acting Deputy Minister Marine and Fisheries.

Annex C.

Customs, Canada,
Victoria, British Columbia, March 30, 1895.

John Hardie, Esq.,
Acting Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries, Ottawa.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant conveying the information that a request had been made by the United States Secretary of State for certain information in respect of the Canadian sealing fleet and their operations during the seasons of 1893 and 1894, and that such request had been communicated to the Government by his excellency Her Majesty’s ambassador at Washington.

In compliance therewith I beg to transmit herewith the information asked for touching the operations during those two years and are arranged under the following headings:

(1): The total number of seals taken by British vessels in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, both on the Asiatic and American sides.
(2): The total number of skins landed at British ports by said vessels.
(3): The total number transhipped in Japanese or Russian ports, including any that may have been ultimately entered at Victoria.
(4): The number of skins landed as entered at Victoria by American vessels.
(5): A report as to the sex of all skins taken in Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
(6): Location of the place of catch by latitude and longitude.
(7): The names of all vessels employed, tonnage, number of crew, and number of seal hunters, indicating whether whites or Indians.
(8): The further request is made that information may be given as to whether the skins taken by the Canadian pelagic sealers were examined as to sex by expert inspectors, as was done in the case of skins entered in the United States ports.

The skins taken by Canadian pelagic sealers were not examined as to sex by expert inspectors at the time of landing from the vessels at this port or at Vancouver.

A general denial is made that seal skins were, on being landed at United States ports, namely, at San Francisco and Puget Sound, examined as to sex by expert inspectors.

[Page 639]

No confidence is entertained here in the American statement made that an expert examination of the skins was held, as such would be unreliable and uncertain when separating the females from the males at time of landing, which could mainly be determined by the teats of the animals, it being a Well-known fact that males have such as well as females, and quite a number of females have been barren, that is, have been barren during the season or longer, and the males have teats as prominent on the skin as the barren females.

Parties interested in sealing state that in San Francisco and here a young, inexperienced lad was sent by Liebes Bros., the largest furriers of that city, to examine some seal skins landed which they were about to purchase, but the reliable sealers and furriers say that such was a perfect farce, he not having the experience and intelligence requisite to determine such.

In the past this matter has been the subject of much discussion here amongst those interested in sealing, and the concensus of opinion is that very few experts are able to determine the sex from the skins when they have been salted and mixed, and all rules as to the color of the hair and the whiskers of the animal or the condition of the fur have been found to be unreliable and unsatisfactory; a seal skin being split from the lower jaw to the tail, even the tail itself, which is very short, being about an inch in length, is also split, and the sex can not be determined that way.

It is positively asserted that the only time to determine the sex is while skinning the animal while fresh, and that masters could then put a ticket on each skin.

Mr. Davis, the representative here of Messrs. Joseph Ullman & Sons, fur dealers, of New York and St. Paul, who resided here for a few years, since deceased, and who came here with expert knowledge in the purchase of skins, particularly seal skins, went north on the steamer Danube in 1891 to meet the sealing fleet which had a rendezvous off Alitak Bay, to transfer their skins—previous to their departure to the Russian side—from the schooners to the steamer, to be brought here, emphatically stated that it was practically impossible to tell the male from the female skin by the teats or otherwise, and the only sure way, in his opinion, was to see the animal skinned. It might, however, in exceptional cases of very choice skins, be determined by the fur or whiskers, and to tell a barren female from a male was almost impossible.

Mr. Macoun, of Ottawa, with Mr. Munsie, a ship owner, and others, in 1892 examined in warehouse here about 200 skins, and they could not determine in that number the males from the females; and they selected skins, said to be males by Mr. Kautzauer, an expert for Messrs. Boscowitz & Co., and they were found to have teats as prominent upon them as those found on any female.

It is known, however, that a skin off a female seal that has been killed whilst very heavy with young is broader in proportion to its length than the male skin, which is more oblong.

It is my opinion that an expert examination would be almost impracticable and its effectiveness uncertain in establishing the sex of the seals killed, and I consider would not be necessary or useful.

The adoption of an inspection of this character would no doubt, if reliable and conducted with certainty, afford a check as to the accuracy of log entries, but this I am certain would not be done at the time of landing without much irritation and disputation regarding the sex of seals.

I can only, therefore, say that it appears to me that if the sealers, in addition to keeping their logs accurately as to each day’s fishing, were compelled to label or tag each skin as to sex at the time of skinning and splitting the animal, would insure the most reliable evidence which could be obtained.

I might state that 1,037 seal skins were landed here and sold from the State of Washington during the year 1894, which certainly were not examined as to sex by expert inspectors, and those that were landed at other Puget Sound ports you will see by the inclosed letter I received from Mr. J. C. Nixon, who is largely interested in the seal industry, that no such examination took place at any Puget Sound ports during last year or any previous year.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

A. R. Milne, Collector.

Annex D.

Seattle, Wash., March 24, 1895.

Collector Customs, Victoria, British Columbia.

Dear Sir: Replying to your favor of the 20th instant, the number of skins shipped via Suez Canal to England were as follows: Allic I. Algar, 1,326; Henry Dennis, 864. The Willard Ainsworth also shipped 724.

Skins were not examined by experts when landed at Sound ports to determine their sex.

Respectfully,

J. C. Nixon.

Annex E.

British Columbia sealina fleet, 1893–94.

1893:
Catch on American side	27,663
Catch on Asiatic side	42,669
Total	70,332
1894:
Catch on American side	11,703
Catch on Asiatic side	56,657
Catch in Bering Sea	26,341
Total	94,701
Catch landed at Canadian ports by sealing schooners in 1893	70,332
Catch landed at Canadian ports by sealing schooners in 1894	65,713
1894:
Skins landed in Japan and forwarded to Victoria	28,761
Skins landed in Japan and sent to England by Suez	227
Total	28,988
Skins entered at Victoria by American schooners in 1893	260
1894:
Skins entered at Victoria by American schooners	574
Skins caught by American Indians and entered at Victoria	1,037
Skins taken in Bering Sea:
Males	11,705
Females	14,636
Total	26,341

Annex F.

[For tables showing the catch of the British Columbia sealing fleet in Bering Sea in 1894, with positions, sexes, and dates where seals were caught, see pages 596 et seq.]

Annex G.

British Columbia sealing fleet, 1893.

[Page 641]

Vessel.	Tons.	Crew		Hunters
Vessel.	Tons.	White.	Indian.	White.	Indian.
Triumph	98	6	14	1	4
Sapphire	108	7	13	1	13
E. B. Marvin	117	20		7
Mascot	40	6	7	1	7
Dora Siewerd	94	18		6
Labrador	25	8		3
Minnie	46	4	10	1	10
Annie E. Paint	82	17		6
Mischief	45	6	10		10
Diana	50	14		5
Centure	48	4	8		8
Mermaid	73	16		7
Fawn	59	3	11		10
Walter A. Earle	68	18		5
Beatrice	66	5	12		12
Ocean Belle	83	17		8
Mountain Chief	23	1	11		8
Aristis	86	17		6
Cape Beale	13		5		5
Kate.	58	6	8	1	8
Favourite	80	5	13	2	13
Borealis	37	5	10	1	10
Ainoko	75	5	7
W. P. Sayward	64	5	8		8
Katharine	82	5	10	1	9
San José	31	4	8		8
Enterprise	69	18		6
Agnes Macdonald	107	19		6
Victoria	63	5	10	1	10
Rosie Olsen	39	5	12		12
Wanderer	25	4	8		8
Viva	92	18		5
May Belle	58	16		4
Umbrina	98	18		6
Penelope	70	15		5
Vera	60	15		4
Pioneer	66	6	12		11
Otto	86	7	12	1	12
Mary Taylor	42	14		4
Brenda	100	19		7
Libbie	93	17		6
City of San Diego	46	10		4
Geneva	92	19		7
Casco	63	14		5
Carlotta G. Cox	76	18		6
Oscar and. Hattie	81	18		6
Teresa	63	15		5
Sadie Turpel	56	18		6
Maude S	97	18		6
Mary Ellen	63	17		6
Walter L. Rich	76	18		6
Annie C. Moore	113	19		7
Walter P. Hall	98	17		6
Coast Indians:
Beatrice	49	16		4
C. D. Rand	51	16		5
Total	3,743	651	219	196	213

Annex H.

British Columbia sealing fleet, 1894.

[Page 642]

Vessel.	Tons.	Crew		Hunters
Vessel.	Tons.	White.	Indian.	White.	Indian.
Enterprise	69	16		6
Rosie Olsen	39	5	8	1	8
Umbrina	99	18		7
Oscar and Hattie	81	18		6
Diana	50	14		5
Brenda	100	19		7
Arietis	86	18		7
Casco	63	17
Dora Siewerd	94	19		7
Walter A. Earle	68	7	10	1	10
Fawn	59	5	9	1	9
Agnes McDonald	107	19		7
W. P. Hall	99	18		6
Mermaid	73	18		7
City of San Diego	46	11		5
Mary Taylor	43	14		5
Libbie	93	16		6
May Belle	58	9		5
Mary Ellen	63	17		6
Viva	92	20		6
W. P. Sayward	60	15		5
Penelope	70	14		6
Vera	60	14		5
Carlotta G. Cox	76	18		6
Triumph	98	6	18	2	18
Otto	86	18		7
E. B. Marvin	96	17		6
Sapphire	109	6	16	2	16
Annie E. Paint	82	19		7
Geneva	92	20		7
Teresa	63	19		6
Ocean Belle	83	17		5
Sadie Turpel	56	16		6
Maude S	97	17		7
Aurora	41	14		4
Florence M. Smith	99	20		7
Beatrice	66	5	11		11
Mascot	40	4	8		8
Favourite	80	5	19		18
Annie C. Moore	113	7	19	1	18
Labrador	25	4	7	1	7
Wanderer	25	1	4	1	3
Pioneer	66	19		5
Saucy Lass	38	6	8	1	8
Borealis	37	5	10	1	10
Katharine	82	5	13	1	13
Ainoko	75	4	11	1	11
Kate	58	4	10	1	10
Shelby	16	4	5	1	5
Venture	48	3	8		9
Walter L. Rich	76	8	13	1	13
Mountain Chief	23	1	7		6
Fisher Maid	21		4		4
Minnie	46	6	8		12
San Jose	31	5	7		7
Kilmeny	19	2	6		6
Henrietta	31	5	8		9
Coast Indians:
C. D. Rand	51	7	11		11
Beatrice	49	15		6
Total	3,866	673	258	215	260

Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President, Transmitted to Congress December 2, 1895, Part I

Lord Gough to Mr. Uhl.