DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 433 



about by the abrogation of the Reciprocity Treaty. During the existence of 

 that Treaty, the entire freedom with which that branch of industry represented 

 by the fisheries was pursued, on the part of the subjects of the United States of 

 America, on the coasts of the British provinces, naturally brought these foreign- 

 ers into most intimate business relations with merchants, traders, and others, 

 in many localities of the maritime portion of the Dominion, and especially at 

 and in the vicinity of the Straits of Canso. The great body of the large fleet of 

 American fishermen, numbering several hundred vessels, which annually passed 

 through that strait to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the prosecution of the 

 fisheries, and especially the mackerel fishery, was invariably in the habit of 

 procuring much of the requisite supplies for the voyage at the several ports in 

 that strait. The business thus created largely benefited not only those directly 

 engaged in commercial pursuits, but was also of immense advantage to other 

 classes of the inhabitants of several of the adjacent counties of Nova Scotia. 

 The constant demand for, and ready disposal at remunerative prices to the 

 American fishing vessels of, a large quantity of farm produce, and other prod 

 ucts of industry in the shape of barrels, hoops, lumber, wood, &c., was at once 

 the character and result of the intercourse which subsisted during the existence 

 of the Reciprocity Treaty. 



And here I may offer some observations as to what, in my judgment, would 

 be the probable effects of dealing with the American fishermen in the more 

 liberal spirit of cheap licences. In a former part of this communication, I 

 have referred to the active and advantageous business relations subsisting 

 between them and the merchants, traders, and others, in the eastern counties 

 of Nova Scotia, and particularly at the Strait of Canso, during the existence of 

 the Reciprocity Treaty, and pointed out the very prosperous condition of our 

 own people during that period. Much depression has prevailed since its abro- 

 gation, caused principally by the exaction of a high rate of tonnage dues, which 

 has induced the Americans to transfer their former business relations to Prince 

 Edward Island, where the terms of the Convention of 1818 are practically per- 

 mitted to be unrecognized. 



The value of this trade during the period of that treaty is thus 

 stated by Sir John A. Macdonald in the debate in the Dominion Par- 

 liament, May 3, 1872 : 



The people of Nova Scotia and the other provinces found that the treaty, 

 while it yielded a nominal right, conferred many and solid advantages. A 

 great trade, which they had never anticipated, sprung up in consequence 

 of the admission of American fishermen ; and, instead of the ruin they feared, 

 they gained so much in every respect that they desired a continuance of the 

 treaty, and lamented its repeal. It was found, too, that the people of Prince 

 Edward Island also experienced a great advantage from the treaty, in 

 respect to trade in coarse grains with the United States, which was largely 

 increased by the permission granted to Americans to frequent their coasts for 

 fishing purposes. In that colony, too, there had been apprehensions and he 

 doubted not they were sincere that the treaty would not be really beneficial 

 to the people; but when the privileges given to citizens of the United States 

 were freely enjoyed by them, they in return, brought so many benefits that 

 we heard no complaints from the colony. No injury was done to the fishermen 

 of the island; on the contrary, the trade which grew up was found to be profit- 

 able in many different ways. More goods were imported than ever before; 

 commerce was brisk ; stores were opened, and profits made which never would 

 have been realized but for the existence of the treaty. 



In the same debate, Mr. Power, of Halifax, who was described 

 by another speaker as " a man who had devoted his whole life to 

 enterprises connected with the fisheries of the maritime provinces, 

 who had given them the most careful study and attention, and had 

 become possessed of every information concerning them," declared 

 that 



The harbors on the entire line of coast were visited by United States ves- 

 sels, for the purpose of obtaining supplies of bait, ice, &c., for the deep-sea 

 and other fisheries ; and, if we wished to have the protection effectual, we 

 would prevent this. He might, however, nay that he had always been opposed 

 to United States vessels being prevented from obtaining these supplies from our 



92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 4 38 



