14 



On the 4th of August, 1817, Mr. Rush (who had 

 assumed the Department of State upon the accession of 

 Mr. Monroe to the Presidency,) addressed a letter to 

 Mr. Bagot, stating, that at the commencement of the 

 fishing season, twenty sail of fishing vessels on their 

 outward voyage were compelled by a storm to put into 

 a harbour, on the British coast, that ivhile there, they 

 were boarded by an officer of the customs, who demand 

 ed and received light money from them : that after 

 completing their fares of fish, they commenced their 

 return to the United States : that they were compelled 

 by another storm to take shelter in another British 

 port : that in this port they were captured by a barge 

 from the British sloop of war Dee, Capt. Chambers, 

 and ordered for Halifax ivhere they arrived on the 9th 

 of June. That the unfortunate crews had been ex 

 posed to peculiar inconveniences and hardships ; and 

 that those who desired to return to their homes were 

 refused passports. Mr. Rush denied that these vessels 

 had been fishing in British waters. 



Mr. Bagot enclosed to Mr. Rush a copy of the orders 

 of Admiral Sir David Milne, commanding on the North 

 American station, to the captain of the Dee, directing 

 him to capture all vessels fishing, or at anchor within 

 the maritime jurisdiction of Great Britain, and to send 

 them to Halifax for adjudication, exempting, however, 

 vessels which should clearly appear to have been obliged 

 to put into British ports in consequence of distress. 



The captain of the Dee, in his despatch to the Ad 

 miral, dated the 8th of June, states that he was inform 

 ed that the whole of the banks westward (offCape Sable 

 and Shelburne) were fished by American schooners, and 

 that they continually resorted to the creeks on the coast, 

 to catch their bait, clean their fish, and to procure wood, 

 water, &c. which was highly detrimental to the indus 

 trious fishermen living on the coast, &c. That he re 

 ceived information that nine American vessels had been 

 found at Ragged Island harbour laying with their nets set. 

 Lieut. Hooper remained there and despatched Lieut. 

 Lechenere, to Cape Negro, where he found two vessels 



