268 MISCELLANEOUS 



There is another branch of the general subject on which I take the 

 opportunity to remark, and that is the probability of a large amount 

 of American caught fish being forwarded as British caught fish to 

 Ports in the United States by steamboats trading from British 

 Ports and particularly from Ports in Prince Edward Island. There 

 is an obvious difficulty in obtaining accurate information on this 

 point. The records of the Custom Houses in the United States 

 would be the only means of arriving at just conclusions in the matter. 

 I may however, give an extract of a letter received from a merchant 

 of standing residing at St. John, N. B., which throws some light 

 upon the state of the case. It is dated 4th December, 1868. The 

 writer says, " I fear the Bostonians are doing a large illicit trade in 

 British caught mackerel in Prince Edward Island. There have been 

 large quantities passing through here this season, principally Prince 

 Edward Island brand. I learn that they are forwarded by an 

 American, who is carrying on a shore fishery at the Island in small 

 boats, and in addition, buys all he can get, and is allowed by the 

 authorities at Washington, to enter his fish as American caught, he 

 being an American citizen. The shipments have been from 200 to 

 300 barrels by each boat semi-weekly since I came here, up to last 

 week, and as I am told, was going on for some time before. I pre- 

 sume they will amount in the aggregate to some 4,000 or 5,000 barrels 

 for the season by this route. They arrive here by railway from the 

 Shediac, and likely the same parties are shipping by the Charlotte- 

 town, Halifax and Boston line also. This may lessen your Bay 

 fares, as many of that catch may be purchased by them, and entered 

 free of duty at Boston." 



The foregoing seems to embrace the principal points of enquiry 

 suggested by your communication and instructions, and I trust that 

 the same will be acceptable to the Department and the Government. 



I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, 



(Signed,) STEWART CAMPBELL. 



Extracts from Canadian Sessional Papers, No. 81, 1870. 

 Mr. Romaine, to the Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office. 



ADMIRALTY, 4th June, 1869. 



SIR : I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 

 to transmit to you for the information of Earl Granville, copy of a 

 letter from Vice- Admiral Sir Rodney Mundy, dated H. M. S. Royal 

 Alfred, Halifax, 15th May, with its enclosures, relative to the pro- 

 tection of the fisheries in Canadian waters, and I am to inform you. 

 with reference to paragraph I of that letter, that my Lords will, if 

 the Secretary of State so desires, carry out the plan explained in Sir 

 Rodney Mundy's letter, of receiving Custom House Officers or other 

 duly qualified persons, on board Her Majesty's ships, to issue licenses 

 and receive payment for them, but they feel bound to say, that, in 

 their judgments, the very fact of such a plan being proposed, points 

 to the inexpediency of employing Her Majesty's ships to enforce the 

 Revenue and Municipal Laws of a Colony having such powers of self- 

 government as are enjoyed by the Dominion of Canada. 



