The Impending Crisis. 



The Duty of the Hour, on the part of the fishing owners, is to 

 wake up to the danger which hovers about the fishing industry at the 

 national capital. It is intimated that the Reciprocity Treat} T will 

 come up at an early day of the session, and it is imperatively neces- 

 sary that competent persons, who fully understand the fisheries in 

 every detail, should at once proceed to Washington, and be ready at 

 all times to aid the Representatives in every possible manner to head 

 off any attempt of the English Government and their paid agents to 

 foist a Reciprocity Treaty upon this country, which will ensure our 

 markets to free fish. 



This is no time for procrastination or unnecessary talk. The oth- 

 er side are up and doing. They mean business and are determined 

 to carry their point at whatever cost. The very life of our fisheries 

 and the future well being of this city depends upon the efforts which 

 are now made to defeat any measure having for its purpose free fish. 

 Let this opportunity go by and your fishing business cannot be pros- 

 ecuted with any prospect of success. Your wharf and vessel prop- 

 erty will depreciate and the business will be so hampered as to pre- 

 clude its being carried on with any prospect of profitable returns. 



A petition of the fishing owners to George Steele, President of the 

 Gloucester Mutual Fishing Insurance Co., asking him to call a meet- 

 ing to take into consideration questions relative to the renewal of the 

 Reciprocity Treaty between the United States and the Dominion of 

 Canada, and to take such action thereon as ma}- be deemed necessa- 

 ry, was fully responded to. The meeting took place at the rooms 

 of the Fishing Insurance Co., Friday morning, Dec. 5th, at 9.30 

 o'clock. 



