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combatanls and famishing women and children. If the abstract right 

 exist to close Canso in time of peace against vessels under sail, it 

 belongs to the same class of inhuman rules of the international code. 

 •'The English," says Montesquieu, "have made the protection of 

 foreign merchants one of the articles of their national liberty." I com- 

 mend the sentiment to the consideration of the English crown lawyers. 



But let us take a practical view of the question before us. The 

 peninsula of Nova Scotia is bounded on the northeast by the strait, or 

 "gut," of which we are speaking, and is separated by it from the large 

 island of Cape Breton. To save the long, difficult, and at some times 

 of the year the dangerous voyage round this island, our vessels ai'e in 

 the constant practice of passing through Canso. The strait is lighted; 

 and our flag contributes liberally to support aU the light-houses on the 

 coast. The "hght-money" exacted is, indeed, so enormous — the 

 benefit afforded considered — ^that our ship-owners complain of the ex- 

 actions continually.* It is apparent at a glance that the sailing of a 

 vessel over the sea between JVova fScotia and Cape Breton can, of 

 itself, harm no one. This sea, be it understood, is very narrow, not 

 •exceeding, in some parts, one mile in breadth. 



Having thus stated the case, we will illustrate the doctrine main- 

 tained by the crown lawyers, by one exactly parallel in all its points. 

 The "McLane arrangement" in 1830, disposed of many of the diffi- 

 culties which, from the peace of 1783, had embarrassed our intercourse 

 with the colonies, and under its terms colonial vessels have freely used 



• The United States consul at Pictoii, Nova Scotia, thus wrote to Mr. Forsyth, Secretary 

 of State, in. 18:i9 : " The tax of sbc and two-tliirds cents per ton register of shipping, collected 

 fey the province of Nova Scotia at the Strait of Canso, is levied ou British as well as foreign 

 etiips; but it beeomies a heavy charge on American vessels making four or five trips a year to 

 tills port, in the coal trade ; and as there is no impost on shipping in American ports for the 

 euppoit of lights on the coast of the United States, such a tax on American vesst^ls in the 

 ports of the British colonies involves a discrepance in the terms of intercourse betvi'een the 

 two coimtries, although it professes to be based on strict reciprocity." 



The Gloucester Telegraph, a paper which is authority on all matters connected with the 

 fisheries, contained the following article, August, 1852 : 



"Light duty at the bay, — ^One of the most grievous things which our fishermen have to 

 submit to at the Bay of St. Lawrence, is the payment of a light-duty. Our vessels have for 

 years been obliged to pay this duty at the Gut of Caliso, which is a tax upon the town of 

 Gloucester alone of $1,000 a year. This year every vessel which visits the harbor of Prince 

 Edward Island is obliged to pay another tax, which is celled anchorage duty. As almost 

 gll of our vessels visit the island, this new duty about doubles the tax upon them. And again, 

 if any of our vessels are driven by stress of weather into Miraraichi, and some of the otlier 

 ports on the main land, the anchorage duty, light-duty, port charges, c^'C., &c., are put upon 

 them to the am.ount of $20 more. Now, is this right .' The Nova Scotia vessels v.hich visit 

 our harbors are subjected to port charges, amounting, for a vessel under one hundred tons, to 

 only $4 50, Why should our vessels, for merely passing through their waters, be subjected 

 to so heavj- a tax, while their vessels who visit us lor the purpose of trading have the benefit 

 of our light-houses, and only pay a trifling sum for port charges 1 



" It is said that the light-duty paid by our vessels is for the support of their light-houses. 

 But what are those light-houses ? There are two poor lights at the Gut of Canso, but none 

 on the coasts visited by the fi.shermen, except, we believe, at Gaspe. There is no light on the 

 whole northern coast of Prince Edward Island, which is most visited by our fishermen dur- 

 ing the stormy months of September and October, when the lights are most needed. Our 

 fisliing-vessels alone pay light-duty sufficient to have the coast well lighted. 



" The officers who colkct these duties admit that they are unjust ; but still they say their 

 government must impose them. And how are they collected? The officer .^ at the island 

 oifer to take most anything when the captain hesitates about paying the specie; they wi 

 take molasses, j>ii-k, and even oil clothes-' This is a nice way to smuggle in tiie goods."' 



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