204 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



The Newfoundland herring fishery has been the cause 

 for much misunderstanding and considerable ill-feeling 

 between the fishermen of New England and the residents of 

 the Island. The most famous collision between the two 

 classes of fishermen occurred in the winter of 1877-1878, 

 and is known as the Fortune Bay riot. By the terms of the 

 treaty of Washington, in force from 1873 to 1885, the 

 Americans were given rights on certain parts of the New- 

 foundland coasts in common with the British subjects, as 

 had been granted by the Treaty of 1818. The award of 

 the Halifax Commission of 1877 made it incumbent upon 

 the government of the United States to pay Great Britain 

 for the excess of privileges granted under the new treaty. 

 This amount was set at $5,500,000, and was paid by the 

 United States without controversy. 



"The fishermen of Newfoundland were especially restive under 

 what they regarded as the ceding away of their rights by the 

 imperial government. They looked upon the shore herring fish- 

 ery of their island as peculiarly their own property. It was 

 their principal source of revenue, on which themselves and 

 their families were dependent for bread; and if this fishery were 

 taken away from them, or its value destroyed, starvation would 

 stare them in the face. Accordingly, when a large American 

 fleet appeared upon their coast, in the winter of 1877 and 1878 

 with improved apparatus for the catching of herring, instead 

 of purchasing a supply of the native fishermen, as had pre- 

 viously been the practice, they were greatly incensed, and re- 

 solved to defend what they felt to be their rights." 1 



The Gloucester fleet consisting of twenty-two vessels ar- 

 rived at Newfoundland about two weeks ahead of the ap- 

 pearance of the school of fish. 



"The herring struck into Fortune Bay on Sunday, Jan. 6, 

 1878, in such quantities that a few hours' seining would have 



i Fishermen's Own Book, p. 109. 



