PERTAINING TO THE SITUATION IN 1852-1853. 



Memorial of the citizens of Gloucester, Mass., respecting the Fisher- 

 ies. [July, 185%.] 



To the Hon. DANIEL WEBSTER Secretary of State of the United States 



The undersigned, citizens of Gloucester, Massachusetts, connected 

 in interests with the Mackerel and Cod Fisheries, respectfully repre- 

 sent, 



That your memorialists have seen, with great surprise, the late 

 publications under the authority of the Department of State, relative 

 to the course which the Government of Great Britain proposes to 

 pursue towards the Citizens of the United States engaged in the 

 Mackerel and Cod Fisheries. 



That we and our fathers have always been accustomed to fish in 

 the Great Bays of the North for Mackerel and Codfish* with the 

 knowledge and acquiesence of the Governments of Great Britain and 

 of the United States, that even so long since as the year 1829 the num- 

 ber of American vessels fishing in the Great Bays of Labrador was 

 estimated at Five Hundred and that for years past over Five Hun- 

 dred American vessels have passed the Gut of Canso into the Bay of 

 Chaleur engaged in the fisheries. 



Your memorialists represent that the course of the business of fish- 

 ing is to follow the fish as they pass from one haunt to another, and 

 that all the vessels engaged in the fisheries, at certain seasons, fre- 

 quent the great Northern bays for the purpose of catching the fish 

 that to exclude them would have the effect of breaking up the whole 

 voyage would shorten the fishing season so much that it would be 

 unprofitable to fit out vessels for fishing in anything like their pres- 

 ent numbers and probably would exterminate a business always pro- 

 tected by our government as affording a superior nursery for Ameri- 

 can seamen. 



Your memorialists represent that at this time there is probably 

 Twelve Hundred sail of Fishermen manned by Twelve Thousand 

 Americans, and costing including outfit about Four Millions of Dol- 

 lars all belonging to this State, on or near the waters, the exclusive 

 use of which is now claimed for the first time by Great Britain. 



If the measures of seizure and exclusion threatened are carried out. 

 all this immense amount of property will be jeopardized and, our 

 Citizens reduced to beggery and made inmates of foreign prisons. 



Your memorialists further estimate the entire interest put in peril 

 by this act at about Two Thousand Five Hundred sail manned by 

 Thirty Thousand Seamen, accustomed to draw a living from the 

 business, and having generally families and homes in our coast towns, 

 being almost entirely native born citizens an amount of property at 

 sea in this enterprise estimated at nearly Twelve Millions of Dollars. 



Your Memorialists represent, that without prompt and efficient 

 action from the Government, the Fishing interests will be thrown 



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