BRITISH, COLONIAL, AND OTHEB CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 365 



May I respectfully beg that their case be taken under advisement. 

 On behalf also of those who have entered into bonds for them, viz: 

 James H. Baggs and Maurice E. Boland, Esquires, may I ask that 

 any action taken in the matter include the release of these gentlemen 

 from the bonds they have executed in the matter. 

 I have, &c., 



WILLIAM R. HOWLEY, 

 Solicitor for George Crane and Alex. Dubois, 



and for Jos. H. Baggs and M. E. Boland. 



His Excellency Sir WM. MACGREGOR, M. D., K. C. M. G., C. B., 



Governor of Newfoundland, &c., <&c. 



Governor MacGregor to Lord Elgin. 



GOVERNMENT HOUSE, St. John's, December 10, 1906. 



(Received December 24, 1906.) 



MY LORD: I have the honour to enclose herewith copy of a letter 

 I have received from Captain Anstruther of H. M. S. Brilliant, 

 having reference to fishing by night, and on .Sunday, in Bay 01 

 Islands; and reporting the good work done by the U. o. S. Potomac 

 in helping fishermen to recover their nets which were endangered 

 by an unexpected severe frost. 



I have communicated a copy of Captain Anstrather's letter to my 

 Ministers. 



I have, &c.j WM. MACGREGOR. 



[Inclosure.] 



Brilliant, AT BTRCHY COVE, December 4, 1906. 



YOUR EXCELLENCY : I have the honour to inform Your Excellency 

 that on 28th November I received a letter, signed by three fishermen, 

 saying that. Sunday fishing and night fishing were being carried on 

 and asking me if I had any power to stop the practices. The letter 

 did not specify by whom the fishing had been prosecuted, but T 

 gathered that it was being done by Americans. I immediately com- 

 municated with Mr. Alexander and protested against Sunday fishing 

 by American fishermen (if such were the fact) as being contrary 

 to the letter and the spirit of the Modus Vivendi, and likely to lead 

 to disorder. Mr. Alexander told me that he had heard that as soon 

 as the Potomac quitted the fishing grounds Sunday fishing had 

 been carried oh and that he suspected the crew of one particular 

 schooner, but though he had watched the grounds every Sunday this 

 season, he had not seen any person fishing. He assured me also that 

 he had warned all the American fishermen against the practice, and 

 that they all knew it was contrary to the Modus Vivendi, a breach 

 of which would involve the honour of the Gloucester Board of Trade, 

 who had given a pledge to the United States Government that the 

 practice should be foregone. 



Shortly afterwards I proceeded in the Brilliant to Middle Arm to 

 make inquiries and to watch the grounds. 



No fishing went on on the Sunday 2nd December but the men 

 were nearly all engaged salving their nets and gear, owing to the 



