53 



In 1771, the number of souls at Newfotmdland was 3,449 Englisn, 

 arid 3,348 Irish. la 1775, merchants "at home" were encouraged to 

 continue their adventures, by an act of Parhament, which allowed a 

 bounty of =£40 to the first twent3'^-five ships, £20 to the next hundred, 

 and <£10 to the second hundred, that should make fares of iish before 

 the middle of Julv, and proceed to "the banks" for a second lading. 



Lord North's bill to prohibit the people of New England Irom fishing 

 at Newfoundland, which was passed in the year last named, will be 

 noticed particularly elsewhere. 



During the discussion pending these measures — the one to "encour- 

 age," the other to "starve" subjects of the realm — ]Martineaux Shuld- 

 ham, who had been governor of Newfoundland three years, was exam- 

 ined at the bar of the Commons. The material part of his testimony 

 may be thus stated: that the catch of fish in 1774 was 739,877 quin- 

 tals, and that 23,652 men were employed in the fishery, all of whom 

 became sailors. 



With regard to the fishermen of New England, he said that few of 

 them ever entered the British navy; that he had heard great complaints 

 of the outrages they committed on the coast ; that they carried on an 

 illicit trade with the French, meeting them on the sea and selling them 

 not only provisions and lumber, but vessels also; and that, in the French 

 war, few of them had served in his Majesty's ships-of-war. 



Atthepeaceof 1783, the Enghsh Newfoundland fishery — interrupted 

 by hostilities — was resumed with spirit, and prosecuted with success; 

 and three years after, the bounty act of 1775 was renewed for a speci- 

 fied term. The condition of the colonists remained, however, without 

 material change. I find it stated that a gentleman formerly connected 



transatlajitic fishiag vessels, having more niiuieroas crews, constitutes a statistical differeace 

 amouiiting to 26,000 sailors agaiust Eugiaud, without iucludiug the United States — a fact that 

 «ught not, and, being known, cannot be looked ou with indifference. 



Transatlantic steam-packets receive national support, amounting to hundreds of thousands 

 of pounds a year, without complaint being made even by the most zealous free-trade advocate, 

 because such vessels may prove useful in war. How, then, can the policy of granting a pre- 

 mium, th«s forced upon us, in order to presei^ve our nursery for seamen, be considered other- 

 wise than the cheapest me&ns of manning our ships-ot-\var ? Such premium, for the deep-sea 

 fishery vessels resorting to Europe, ought to be accompanied by immunity to our in-shore 

 colonial fishermen from the tax on foot, (from which the parent State is happily free,) and by 

 a release from other imposts, from which the French fisherman, under naval authority, m 

 wholly exempt. 



Brevity being essential to admittance into your columns, reference may be made for im- 

 portant details to " Morris's Fishery of Newfoimdlaud," containing petitions and remonstrance 

 of inhabitants, which assuredly have never been read by our colonial administration, though 

 pressingly urged for consideration. 



Vessels-of-v,ar are obviously not required for the protection of the deep-sea fisheiy which 

 has ceased to exist; nor are they necessary for the security of the undisturbed colonial punts 

 which fish in-shore. The stationing more vessels-of-war to guard the fisheiy is therefore a 

 mistake, originating in a want of knowledge of facts. Fish caught by the British subjects 

 cannot be sold with profit either in continental Europe or in the United States. In 1849, the 

 duty paid on Biitish fish m the ports of the United States was $163,000, while the premium 

 awarded to their own fishermen was $"243,432. 



Those who desire further insight into the circumstances of our western colonies, especiafly 

 as regards the fisheries of Newfoundland, may consult a pamphlet published by Ridgwaj', con- 

 taining a statistical map, which ought to be brought to the knowledge of those who possess 

 the power to aveit impending national mischiefs. 



I am, sir, your often obliged and obedient servant, 



DUNDONALD. 



LONBON. Aujrust 4. 



