, 1888-04-05

tudl lu6 SediS OF Ine NOfEn racine all
congregate on the Pribyloff Islands.
He further asserts that those seals
have their pups on land, and that if
a pup Is thrown into the water it can
not swim, but will sink like a stone,
and takes me to task for asserting
that tho pups of the seals taken at
Cape Flattery can swim as soon as
born and even when taken alive from
the mothers womb. =
In 1888 Twas instructed by Pro-
fessor Biard to investigate the habits
of the fur seals and to make re
port thereon, which report may be
found in the Bulletin of the Z. S.
Fish Commission (vol. 3, 1883, page
20l. In that report I have shown
my thirteen witnesses, some of them
Government officials. that the fur
seals Of Cape Flattery do have their
pups III the water, on the kelp, and
at other places not yet discovered,
and that the pups swim as soon as
born, this evidence as against Mr..
hlllotts unsupported, dogmatic as
sertion that the pups will sink like
stone l believe that MIR. Elliott is
correct so far as the seals of the
Prbyiov Islands are concerned, and 1
know that | am correct so far as re-
CARDS the seals of Cape Flattery, and
believing that both of US are correct.
it proves incontestably tnat the seals
VIII ch come from the south TO Cape
Flattery differ in tIeir habits from
those in Behring Sea.
These Eastern fishermen, knowing
the value of the rocker es, are desi-
rous that the law protecting the
saSls on the Pribylov Islands, as well
as the provisians of the lease to the
A a5ka Commercial! Company, should
be rightly enforced. But they do not
b lieve that the term adjacent wa
tars' named in that lease ever meant
or was intended to mean all the Wa
ters of the North Pacific Ocean.
Tney believe that they, as Amer
lean citizens, have Il right to fish
or hunt in the American waters
of Behring Sea, outside of 3 mauti-
cal miles from any island or the
mainland of Alaska. They believe
that William III. Seward did not
purchase Alaska for the Alaska Com
merciai Company, but for the whole
nation. These fishermen from New
England demand as Il right that
they be permitted to pursue their
honorable business IN the American
waters of the North Pacific, Behring
Sea, and the Arctic without being
treated as criminals and hunted
down and seized and imprisoned by
the piratical revenue cutters of the
United States, at the diction and for
the sole benefit of the Alaska Com
mercial Company. These fishermen
already here and the colonies which
will be here next year with their
fleets of schooners, are of vastly
more Importance to the American
nation than the monopoly of the
Alaska Commercial Company. And
they have requested me to address
you, Senator, and other Senators,
respectfully asking you to kindly
look into this question and have it
ordered By the Treasury Department
that American citizens can take any
of the products of the ocean outside
of 3 marine miles from any island in
Behring Sea or the coasts OF the
mainland of Alaska.
Hitherto the outrages arrogance
and assumption of the Alaska Com
mercial Company has been only met
by feeble protests from merchants OF
San Francisco and a few Portland
traders. But now a new ord9r of
things il about being ipaugurated
An Intelligent and valuable class of
New England fishermen are coming
here TO reside among US and become
citizens OF Oregon, Washington, and
Alaska. They know their rights as
American citizens and they are deter
mined to nave their rights.
1t is time that the farce played by
he Alaska Commercial Company was
ended and that the sorry sight of
American revenue cutters hunting
down our own citizens for the bene-
fit of that huge monopoly should
forever cease.
l have given this subject careful
attention for many years, but have
had no occasion to take any particus
lar interest in it until now, and now
is the time to speak and act. These
determined, energetic fishermen of
New England ale here and more
coming. All they ask is their right
as American citizens to hunt and
fish in American waters outside 3
miles from land. Strictly enforce
the law prohibiting the taking of
seals on the Pribylov Islands; strict
ly enforce the law prohibiting tie
of spirits or fire. arms
Indians: but give the fisher
men the right to develop the wealth
in our waters, encourage them to
make new discoveries, aid them in
every legal manner TO pursue their
avocRtions, and they will prove new
source of wealth to our Pacific States
and add to our population new and
a most desirable element
1 have had the honor, Senator, to
address Senator Mitchell and Senator
Standford upon this important ques-
ton, and if there are any points on
which you would like further infor-
nation, shall esteem it an honor il
you will address me, and l will give
you all the information | possess L
want to seq Behring SEQ and ali
American waters open to American
fishermen, and | earnestly and re
spactfully solicit your kind consider
alton of the question.
[ have the honor to be, Senator.
with great respect, your most obedi-
ent servant,
JAMES G.. SWAN.
Hon. JOSEPH n DoLPH,
Senator in Congress from Oregon.
Generals Sherman, Sheridan, How
ard and Terry are the only four men
now living who have personally re-
cnivad tie Thanks of the congress- of