376 APPENDIX TO BRITISH CASE. 



sequence a very serious depression at this moment exists in that com- 

 munity. 



Mr. Campbell has good reason to believe that the American fishing 

 vessels are now admitted to equally ample privileges in Prince 

 Edward Island as they enjoyed previous to the abrogation of the 

 Reciprocity Treaty, he having been credibly informed that during 

 the present season, notwithstanding the fact of there being in the 

 Island a similar regulation in reference to tonnage dues as exists in 

 the Dominion of Canada, the American fishing vessels do not pay 

 such dues, while they are constantly to be found within the prohibited 

 limits of the coasts of that Island, and carrying on commercial inter- 

 course in the ports and harbours thereof in violation of the treaty 

 with Great Britain. The treaty is of course equally operative when 

 licences are not obtained at Prince Edward Island, as it is on the 

 coasts of Nova Scotia, and the constituents of Mr. Campbell, with 

 the knowledge of this fact, feel as they have reason to feel much 

 aggrieved by the destruction of their trade under the peculiar cir- 

 cumstances. 



Mr. Campbell regrets to be obliged to say that he anticipates con- 

 siderable commercial embarrassment in the community whose inter- 

 ests he represents, as the consequence of the diversion of the trade in 

 question. 



Mr. Campbell would add, that he has also reason to believe that 

 much of the fish landed by the Americans on Prince Edward Island, 

 is in reality British caught fish, while it is exported thence to the 

 United States as fish caught in American bottoms. 



Ottawa, 15th September, 1868. 



No. 141. 1868, September 15: Report of Hon. Peter Mitchell, Cana- 

 dian Minister of Marine and Fisheries. 



DEPARTMENT or MARINE AND FISHERIES, 



Ottawa, 15th September, 1868. 



The Minister of Marine and Fisheries to whom have been referred, 

 for Eeport to Council, the letters of Stuart Campbell, Esq., M.P., of 

 the County of Guysborough, Nova Scotia, under date 14th and loth 

 instant, in relation to the exercise of privileges by American fisher- 

 men, and the construction to be placed upon the Treaty of 1818, begs 

 to report 



That Mr. Campbell alleges, that under the Reciprocity Treaty, a 

 trade of considerable magnitude grew up in the Province of Nova 

 Scotia, and especially in that part of it bordering upon the Straits of 

 Canso, between the people of that Province and American fishermen 

 frequenting our waters; that a considerable market was afforded for 

 the farmers in the supplying of these fishermen ; that the manufac- 

 ture of barrels had sprung up to a great extent along the Straits, 

 giving employment to great numbers of people, and that a large 

 business was done through the local merchants in supplying the 

 American vessels with salt and other outfits for the prosecution of 

 their business; that business practically continued even since the ter- 

 mination of the treaty until the present year, when, as he alleges, the 



