SUBSEQUENT TO THE TEEATT OF 1818. 



FRANCO-AMERICAN CONTROVERSY, 1822-1824. 



Mr. Reed to Mr. Adams. 



MARBLEHEAD, 15 March 

 SIR, I have the honour to inclose for your perusal several deposi- 

 tions, taken and forwarded at the request of persons engaged in the 

 Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery, who are desirous of knowing 

 from the proper authority, if the f rench Govt have the exclusive right 

 of taking & curing Fish on the coast of Newfoundland between Cape 

 Ray & the Carpoon Islands, as claimed & enforced, as set forth in 

 these depositions. The determination of this point is felt to be of 

 great importance to our Fisheries at all times, as the claim of the 

 French covers the most valuable part of the coast for taking and cur- 

 ing Fish, as the business can be commenced there, several weeks 

 earlier than on any other part of the coast, and the Season is so short, 

 at longest, as barely to give time sufficient for making the voyage in 

 the best manner: and is of the greatest consequence at this period 

 (of general peace) particularly, as the general competition has re- 

 duced the profits of this branch of our Industry so much that it 

 barely support itself under the most favourable circumstances: and 

 I feel warranted by the sad experience of the Inhabitants of this 

 Town who have hitherto been chiefly employed in this business, to 

 add that unless a change shall shortly take place, or some further 

 means can be devised for their encouragement herein. That this 

 Branch of our Employment already reduced below half its amount 

 in former times, both before & since the revolutionary war must 

 shortly be abandoned altogether. 



I have the honor to be very respectfully Your Obt Servt. 



WILLIAM REED 

 to The Hon e JOHN Q. ADAMS Esq. 



Secy of State for the U. S. Washington. 



[.Enclosure.] 



I Thomas Elkins Master of the Schooner Aretas of Marblehead, do 

 testify and say, that I sailed from the port of Marblehead in the 

 spring of the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & twenty, on a fish- 

 ing voyage to the coast of Newfoundland & in the latter part of May 

 entered St. George's Bay on the south coast in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, and there found the f rench Sloop of war " Loliver " whose 

 commander forbade me & other vessels in company, fishing at any 

 harbour or Island between Cape Ray in Lat. 47.30 & the Carpoon 

 Islands in Lat. 51-10 on penalty of seizure of our vessels; That in 

 the year following in pursuing a similar voyage & lying in the Bay of 

 Port a Port fishing, was boarded by an officer from a French ship 

 of war lying in St. George's Bay and ordered away and threatened 



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