ADDRESS. 39 



examination of such points in the Pacific ocean and South seas, 

 as require the attention of government." 



Numerous other groups of islands, of more or less importance, 

 might be noticed in like manner, were it deemed necessary, and 

 did time permit. Those, if such there be, whose doubts are yet 

 unremoved, or who wish for more detailed information, can have 

 recourse to the documents already in possession of the members 

 of this House, and which abundantly set forth " what remains for 

 us to do." 



Allow me, in like manner, to invite your special attention to the 

 elaborate report* made by the Committee on Commerce, during 

 the last session, several thousand copies of which were printed 

 and distributed throughout the country. It concludes as follows : 



"The Committee, having thus fully presented the views and 

 wishes of the memorialists, and noted the legislative action hith- 

 erto had upon the subject, deem it unnecessary to go into any 

 prolonged arguments in the conclusion of their report. 



"Other nations have deemed it wise to protect their fisheries, 

 at all hazards, and by heavy expenditures. Some have sent out 

 voyages of discovery, that had little or no commerce to be bene- 

 fited. Previous to the year 1770, the English, in their strenuous 

 efforts to compete with the Dutch in the northern whale fishery, 

 had paid in bounties not less than three millions of dollars ; and 

 down to the year 1786, the aggregate amount of bounty paid was 

 not less than six millions three hundred and thirty thousand 

 dollars. 



" The American fishermen have received no bounty, and they 

 are now pursuing their avocation in seas beyond the reach of 

 ordinary protection. That places of refreshment may be ex- 

 amined, new channels of trade opened, and dangers pointed out, 

 seems not only reasonable and just, but called for by considera- 



