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SEVENTH ORDINARY MEETING. 51 
an annual catch of a million quintals of codfish. The rights of the 
French seemed to him to be greatly detrimental to the interests of 
Newfoundland, made the richest part of the island practically a 
sealed book, and were a continual source of trouble to both England 
and France. He further referred to the rights which the Americans 
exercise under the Treaty of Washington, and showed that stringent 
regulations were become needful, in the interest of all, to prevent 
wanton destruction and depletion of the Newfoundland fisheries, 
upon which so great a part of the world depended for a great part of 
their food supply. 
He next described the geographical position and geological for- 
mation of the island, its copper, coal, iron deposits, and made 
particular reference to currents along shore, which he stated to be 
the cause of the many shipwrecks which happen near Cape Race and_ 
St. Shotts. Having called attention to the city and harbour of St.. 
Johns, the capital of the island and its principal attractions, he pro- 
ceeded to discuss the foreign trade of Newfoundland, which, he said,. 
is being drawn to the chief town more and more year by year, and 
which he placed at $16,000,000 annually. The land question next. 
came under review in two branches; first, as regards the waterside 
premises of St. Johns which are built on leased lands, the leases of 
which expire in a year or two, and concerning which legislative 
action is contemplated in the coming session. Newfoundland has 
developed with her landlords a crisis similar to that with which 
Ontario had to deal in her clergy reserves, Quebec in her seignorial 
tenures, Prince Edward’s Island in her proprietory rights. 
Touching upon the larger question of land tenure Mr. Browning 
referred to the decrees of the Star Chamber 1630, to statute 10 and 
11 Wm. IIL., and 15 Geo, IIL. ch. 31, as establishing communism 
in land. No man could own any acre of the soil, no reserves were 
given to the Protestant or any other church, and no power was 
granted to the governors to pass a title to land. This communism 
continued until 1820, and made the country a fishing preserve 
for the west country merchants. It enriched England and developed 
her maritime power, but impoverished the soil of Newfoundland. A 
geographical survey of the country into counties, townships, sections 
and lots is still to be made, and is needed for agricultural and 
lumbering purposes. 
