266 MISCEI^LANEOUS 



of duty payable thereon; and I am strongly of opinion that hence- 

 forth it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to induce them 

 to accept licenses, unless the dues be placed at the lowest rate yet 

 exacted. I derive this view from personal intercourse with many of 

 the parties concerned; and even in their submission to that rate, I 

 might be disappointed if the authorities of Prince Edward Island 

 continue practically to encourage the refusal to take licenses from 

 the authorities of the Dominion, by permitting on the shores, within 

 the jurisdiction of that Island, the free fishing to which I have 

 already adverted. There is, I am aware, a considerable class of 

 persons, who advocate a continuance of the present high, or even a 

 higher rate of duty as the condition of license. But it must be borne 

 in mind that in the present state of this question a high rate of duty 

 means efficient protection and its accompanying expense. Without 

 that efficient protection, licenses at any rate, exceeding a nominal 

 amount, and I consider 50 cents per ton to be an amount of that char- 

 acter, will not be accepted. And this brings me to the consideration 

 of the nature and character of such protection. I would be the last 

 man to utter a word or write a line that could be construed as a mat- 

 ter of reproach towards the Imperial naval authorities, in respect of 

 their services on this point, but the facts of this case compel me to say 

 that I cannot regard with favor the present system of the protection 

 of the fisheries. The inefficiency of the protection now afforded may 

 be attributed to two causes. In the first place, Her Majesty's ships 

 are sent on this service at too late a period in the fishing season. It 

 is during the months preceding the fall of the year that their pres- 

 ence on the fishing grounds is most required. Later in the season 

 the fish resort to deeper water, and are to be found outside of the 

 prohibited limits. Protection therefore is not then necessary. As 

 an illustration of the habits of the fish, as well as of the necessity of 

 the vessels engaged in the protection of the fisheries being on the 

 ground at an earlier period, I may mention that I was credibly in- 

 formed, when at Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, by an eye wit- 

 ness of the fact, that in the month of August last an entire fleet of 

 about 100 sail of American fishermen had actually and very success- 

 fully fished for several days, without interruption, in the land-wash 

 near Rustico, on the North side of the Island, of course to the great 

 insult and detriment of British subjects residing there. I was also 

 given to understand that Her Majesty's ships Niger and Barracoutta, 

 detailed as the protective force during the last season, did not reach 

 the shores of Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island until the be- 

 ginning of the month of October. In the second place, the vessels 

 ordinarily employed on this service are of considerable size and being 

 steamers, their approach is readily discerned by actual intruders and 

 thus time is afforded for escape. It is a remarkable fact that not a 

 single seizure has been made during the season. 



The conclusions suggested by the foregoing state of facts are very 

 intelligible. If the present high or any higher rate of tonnage dues 

 is to be continued, and in view of the hostility which such exactions 

 will undoubtedly induce, the water police to be provided, must be of 

 corresponding power of control, and perfect good faith, material aid 

 and activity on the part of the authorities of Prince Edward Island 

 must be demanded. As I have already intimated, the force now pro- 

 vided seems of a character ill-calculated to answer the purpose for 



