234 THE LABRADOE PENINSULA. chap. xxxv. 



are also taken by ' drift-nets ; ' but this most lucrative 

 fishery is still in its infancy in the British Provinces, 

 although it affords a 'splendid field for the enterprise and 

 industry of the people. American schooners take mack- 

 erel on the north shore of the Gulf in great quantities, 

 while the Canadians are mere lookers-on. ' The mackerel 

 fishery is the most excellent in the Gulf,' says Mr. Perly, 

 ' near the shores of this province (New Brunswick) ; but 

 the inhabitants do not avail themselves of its abundance, 

 while citizens of the United States pursue it largely near 

 these same shores with much profit.' These remarks 

 were written in 1852 ; after the lapse of ten years they 

 have lost none of their force or application. 



THE COD FISHERY. 



In 1839, Her Majesty's ship Champion, in sailing from 

 the East Cape of Prince Edward's Island to the Bay 

 of Chaleurs (crossing the Bradelle Bank), passed through 

 a fleet of 600 to 700 sail of American schooners, all en- 

 gaged in cod-fishing.* In 1795, the Americans had 

 37,000 tons of shipping engaged in this fishery ; at the 

 present time they have 110,000 tons so employed. 



In 1852, a colonial newspaper stated that ' the 

 Vigilance brig-of-war vessel on the coast of New- 

 foundland has damaged the French fisheries very much. 

 Fifty vessels of the fleet in the Straits of Belle Isle wiU 

 return home, having 80,000 quintals short of last year's 

 catch.' These proceedings were authorised by the 

 Government, under the general plan adopted in 1852, 



* Report ou iLc Fisheries of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



