, 1889-05-09
Interesting Letter from Captain Solo
nann Jacobs to Senator Honr on
the Fisheries OF the
Pacific.

Senator Hnar. chairman Of the senate
Committee OF our relations with Canada
has written to Captain Jacobs among
many others on the Pacific coast, for in
formation regarding the fisheries. Capt
JACOBS went to sea on the 9th Inst. IN
the schooner Moliie Adams bound north
on fishing and seaIinG wage. Before
be left he addressed a letter to Seustor
Hoar 10 be given him on arrival of the
senate committee which will.be here in
about ten days. We have been permit
tot to publish this letter as follows:
On board Schooner Mollie Adams.
PORT TOWNSEND, W. t, May 6, 1883.
Hon. GEORGE P. HoAR, Chairman SEN
ate Committee on relations with
Canada.
SIR.-As intend to sail to day on n
voyage north for fishing and sealing, |
shall not lie able TO see you regarding
the fisheries OF the North Pacific Ocean,
Behring sea an1 Alaskan Waters, but
will refer you to James G.. Swan ESQ
Of Pert Townsend, who has given more
attention TO obtaining Information about
these fisheries, both for his own satisfac-
ton and for the United States Fish
Commission, with whom lie has cores
ponded and acted ever siuce il was FIRST
formed, than any man / have seen on the
Pacific coast, and you can rely entirely
upon the information hG may give you.
will also refer you to Mr.. Joshua
Brown, OF Salem, MATS. , owner OF Schr.
Henry Dennis, Who is now here, also to
Capt. L. o. Lavender, of Schooner
Henry Dennis, who eau give iDforma-
ton rega ding the fur seals at Cape
Horn as he has recently arrived from
there.
As You requested me t. give you my
views about the best methcd for the
government to protect and encourage tie
fisheries of the Pacific coast, will re-
specially submit the following remarks:
II the government of the United
States really wishes to encourage the
fishermen to develop the fisheries of the
North Pacific Ocean, BehriDg Sea and
the Arctic, they should make all those
seas free, and allow us to take whales,
wairus, sea lions, sea otter, seals, bali
but, cod, salmon, and any aud every
product OF these waters. believe the
seal rookeries should be protected, aid
so far as the Pribloff Islands are con-
cerned. l believe the adjacent waters"
should mean three marine leagues, or
nine miles. inside OF which the seals
should be considered as belonging to
but outside of that limit anywhere on
American waters or on the high seas, we
should be allowed to pursue our avoca-
tions not only unmolested, but pro-
tected by our government.
Fishermen are the means by which n
cheap and nutritious article OF food is
provided by our people, and the govern
ment recognizing the importance OF
constant and cheap supply of fish, has
large sums OF money IN es
tablishing hatcheries, both on the At
lantic and the Pacific, and by EleaDs of
tue able management of the U. S. Fish
Commission, has discovered new fishing
grounds, and new ways Of propsgating
and preserving our fish; but at the same
time in preserving seals, it is preserving
one of the most destructive agencies
against the fishing interest. l am in
formed that Professor Ii. Brown Goode
of the Smithsonian Institution in his
last report OH the fisheries III the tenth
census report, says that it is intimated
on the best authority, that we have in
the North Pacific Ocean over thirty
millions OF hair and fur seals, sea lions,
and other animals of like nature who
feed upon fish alone. 1t las also been
estimated that every one OF these ami
mails eat and destroy ten pounds of edi-
BILE fish daily, making consumption of
three hundred million OF pounds daily
to preserve the aquatic manaSerie.
Professor Goode places the product of
edible fish of all kinds in the United
States for 1880 at one billion six hum
dred million pounds and the animals
which our government protects in the
North Pacific al Behri'~ roy
of fish,"