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traps in exposed places, their catch in said season of 1888, as compared | 
with the catch of 1887, was 1,800 cases less, thereby causing to your _ 
petitioners, through the loss of their said traps, short catch, and other- 
wise, a loss of $4,000 at least. 
4, That your petitioners were also prohibited from fishing within © 
said limits defined on said map or chart during the season of 1889, — 
Herewith produced is a true copy of a letter received by your petitioners — 
from Sir Baldwin W. Walker, captain and senior officer of the New- — 
foundland Fishery Division, shortly after its date, and herewith also — 
produced is a true copy of the chart therewith enclosed. By reason of _ 
the terms of said letter your petitioners were prohibited and prevented 
from setting their traps for lobsters in the safest and most suitable | 
places for catching lobsters in the vicinity of their said factory at John — 
Meagher’s or Bartlett’s Harbour, and were obliged to set their traps in 
: 
open and exposed places, thereby causing very considerable loss of traps d 
and gear, and loss of catch to your petitioners, and other losses besides. 4 
That on or about the 17th of June, 1889, the French ship of war — 
“ Bison” arrived off Port Saunders, where your petitioners’ lobster- — 
traps were set, and began removing and destroying said traps; and had 
removed and destroyed 17 of said traps when H.M.S. “ Emerald” hove 7 
in sight; and thereupon the crew of said “ Bison” ceased their said 
* 
4 
work of destruction, The traps so destroyed as last aforesaid were out- 
side of the limits defined upon said charts. 
5. That on or about the 20th of July, 1889, the French ship of war . 
“ Drac” arrived at St. Margaret’s Bay, close to where your petitioners — 
had erected a lobster-packing factory in the spring of 1889, and took up 
and destroyed 505 of your petitioners’ lobster-traps. Your petitioners ; 
were unable to replace said traps during said season; and, in conse- 
quence, the catch made by your petitioners at that place was very 
much less than it would have been had said traps not been destroyed 
as above stated. Your petitioners are obliged to hire most of their — 
fishermen on said coast by the season, and several of their employés 
were, by reason of the loss of their traps, as hereinbefore stated, idle 4 
during the remainder of the season, thereby entailing great loss upon 
your petitioners. 
6. Herewith produced are copies of other letters received by your 
petitioners, and by parties in their employ, relating to the restrictions 
placed upon your petitioners by the officers of the French and English — 
warships in respect to their lobster-fishing operations. Your petitioners 
crave leave to refer to said copies as part of this memorial. Your — 
petitioners afford employment to upwards of 200 people each season at — 
their said factories, and expend and pay out very large sums of money, — 
to wit, upwards of $15,000, each season, for labour alone, in connection 
