The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-12
REPORT ON FUR SEALS
ON PRIBILOF ISLANDS
Congress Gets Information Concerning
Actual Facts to Assist in Prep
aration of Legislation.

Washington d. c.. March l2.-On Feb.
| IL the secretary OF commerce transmit
ted to the speaker of the House of Rep
fesentatives report of the scientific as
| sistants of the bureau of fisheries on
the fur seals and other life on the Pribi-
lof islands in 1914, sending with it the
following communication to the speak
er:
81 transmit herewith for the nforma-
ton OF Congress a report OF Wilfred H..
! Osgood, Edward A. Preble, and George
n. Parker. scientific assistants of the bur
reau of fisheries on the fur seals and
other life on the Pribilof islands in 1914.
"When the present administration took
charge it found in full force and yigor
the existing law providing for closed
season for the seal herd belonging to
the United States on the Pribilot is
lands. This law was approved Aug. "a,
| 1912, effective Immediately, and will en-
pire by its own limitation aug. "a, 1917.
''fhe department has felt that it had
two duties in this important matter
The first was to enforce the law in let
ter and in spirit and this has been DONE
The second was to ascertain from I'M
preiudiced and dispassionate sources tie
effects of the law and to inform Congress
about them as fully rs possible. This i
now done.
In view of the sharp controversy that
has existed on the subject Of the fur
seal herd it was deemed necessary that
the persons selected by the bureau OF
fisheries as scientific assistants 70 study
this problem should be persons who
were free from all previous connection
with the subject, but who were qualified
by training and experience to determine
and present the facts. IL was required
also that they should be severally quail
fed to carry on as separate individuals
the particular lines OF scientific study
necessary to a full understanding Of the
problem.
Under these circumstances the presi-
dent OF the National Academy OF Set
ences, the secretary of the Smithsonian
institution, aud the secretary OF agricul-
ture were requested 10 make nominal
tions al persons who might be tempo
rarily employed for the purpose The
National Academy Of Sciences nominal
ed Professor George II. Parker OF Har-
ward university. Cambridge, Mass; the
secretary OF the Smithsonian institu
ton nominated Mr. Wilfred H. Osgood OF
the Field Museum Of National History,
Chicago. ILL.,; and the secretary Of agri-
culture nominated Mr.. Edward a. Preble
of the bureau OF biological survey, de-
partment Of agriculture. The three per-
sons named were selected by the de-
partment Of commerce and employed by
the bureau Of fisheries a. temporary sci
entifc assistants, and were instructed
20 proceed 10 the Pribilof islands there
10 ascertain the facts and 10 submit
them 20 the department for transmits
sion 70 Congress. Full details are found
in the attached report.
"As Great Britain. through the Domiu-
ion Of Canada. and Japan are financially
interested in the American seal herd UNI
der the terms Of the treaty abolishing
pelaeic sealing. these countries also OF
their own motion arranged to send rep
resentatives 10 the Prihilof islands IN
1914. and two experts from Canada and
one from Iapan visited the islands while
our own inquiry was progressing The
facts concerning this matter appear in
full IN the report.
Nf report y accompanied Wy ttiff'
large traced maps ~ the Prihllof islands,
of which blue prints have been taken for
the records OF The department and by
q smaller mans Illustrating the report
IN detail
aTlic purpose n the department has
been 20 provide Congress with an un
biased statement Of The actual facts 10
assist 10 ID the preparation Of such fur
thpr legislation. II any a. Il NAV deem
wise a. enact. II Is my earnest hope
tat this BE- accomplished
The report referred 20 has beer or
dered printed e. senate document.
Copies can be obtained from the super
intendeut 81 documents az nominal
rr~tar