184 COBBESPONDENCE, ETC., 



mation of such a wish would have been immediately attended to, 

 but none was made. 



The Fulton was at anchor in the inner harbor. A copy of Lieu- 

 tenant Commanding Watson's report of his proceedings, under my 

 orders of the 29th ultimo, is with this. 



Soon after I anchored at Gaspe, I was informed that the anchor- 

 age, which I had taken by advice of my pilot, was unsafe, if it should 

 blow a gale from the east of frequent occurrence at this season. 

 No pilot could be found to take so large a ship into the inner harbor, 

 and, as night was approaching, I got under way and put to sea with 

 both vessels. It had now become necessary to replenish our coal. 

 and I determined to go to Sydney, in Cape Breton island, for that 

 purpose. 



I arrived at Sydney on the 4th, the Fulton in company, and, after 

 taking on board a supply of coal for each vessel, put to sea again on 

 the morning of the 9th. 



After a passage protracted by strong head winds, and a part of 

 the time by thick weather we anchored at St. John, New Brunswick, 

 on the afternoon of the 13th. 



A large number of persons, estimated at fifty thousand, were congre- 

 gated at this place to witness the ceremony of breaking ground for the 

 European and North American railway. The occasion had brought 

 the lieutenant governor of the province, Sir Edmund Head, to St. 

 John. We received from the lieutenant governor, and the authorities 

 of the city the most cordial welcome, and every hospitality was ex- 

 tended to us, nationally and individually. 



The absence from St. John of the consul for the United States 

 prevented my getting any official information on the subject of the 

 fisheries; but from no source could I learn that there had been any 

 occurrence of an unpleasant nature; and by all persons, official and 

 private, here as in the other provinces, a most anxious desire was 

 expressed that the rights and privileges of the citizens of the United 

 States, and of the inhabitants of the provinces, in relation to the fish- 

 eries, might be so distinctly defined, and so authoritatively an- 

 nounced, that there should be no room for misunderstanding, and no 

 possible cause for irritation on either side. 



I left St. John on the morning of the 17th instant, the Fulton in 

 company, and anchored outside of this harbor on the evening of the 

 18th. in a dense fog. This morning we have succeeded in getting 

 to a good anchorage, off Fort Constitution. 



It is with great diffidence that, from the experience of so short a 

 cruise, prosecuted, as is known to the department, under circumstances 

 of unusual embarrassment, I offer a few suggestions as to the descrip- 

 tion of force most suitable for the protection of the fisheries, and as 

 to the time most proper for its operations. 



Some of the most valuable fisheries, such as those in Miramichi 

 bay, Chaleur bay, and north as far as Gaspe, are carried on in small 

 vessels and open boats, and close in shore. If, therefore, the privi- 

 lege to fish in those bays is to be maintained by us, the vessels for that 

 service should be small steamers of light draught of water. The 

 shores of Prince Edward island abound with fish of all kinds. The 

 mackerel strike in early in the season, and can .only be taken close 

 in shore. 



