398 MISCELLANEOUS 



ery .Regulations now in force, and to consider American representa- 

 tions on the subject, cannot go further. They submit that as fishing 

 does not commence until October, there is ample time for examina- 

 tion of regulations and amendment of the same if found necessary 

 before that date. 



If American Government is not prepared to act in accordance with 

 this liberal proposal, they consider it cannot be regarded as unreason- 

 able that His Majesty's Government should insist on Americans con- 

 forming to the local laws pending decisions of Hague Tribunal. 

 Concerning employment of local fishermen, they refer to the fact 

 that prior to 1818 His Majesty's Government held that for American 

 vessels to load with fish not caught or cured by people of United 

 States of America was illegal, and that in 1807 His Majesty's ship 

 Adonis seized two American vessels for so doing. See despatch, 

 Governor Holloway to Sir Stephen Cotterell, 9th September, 1807. 

 If Americans contend that only regulations and laws in force at 

 the time of signing 1818 Treaty applies to them, they are barred by 

 this fact from setting up the right to hire Newfoundlanders. Com- 

 mittee cannot admit that Treaty of 1818 gives Americans right to use 

 purse seines, and are unable to depart from position taken that 

 Americans coming within local jurisdiction are subject to all laws 

 that apply fishermen of this Colony. They consider that as Treaty 

 is antiquated and conflicts with national interest, its abrogation 

 would only be in accordance with precedent established by American 

 Government in matter of Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850. They 

 do not consider they should be called upon to choose between (en- 

 gagement?) of crews by Americans and use of purse seines by them, 

 as Americans have no right to either one or the other, and both in- 

 volve a breach of the laws of the Colony. They again guarantee 

 that if they are left unhampered by His Majesty's Government in 

 enforcing laws of this Colony, there will be no breach of the peace, 

 and they consider a modus vivendi entirely unjustifiable and unnec- 

 essary. Full minute goes by post. 



MACGREGOR. 



Extracts from the Annual Report of the Canadian Department of 

 Marine and Fisheries, 1908-9. 



REPORT ON STEAM TRAWLING, BEAM AND OTTER. BY JOHN J. COWIE. 



[Extract.] 



While on the coast in connection with herring curing, I took occa- 

 sion to ascertain, in person, the facts concerning the operations of 

 the steam trawler Wren in our waters during the past season, and 

 as this is an entirely new mode of fishing from a Canadian port, and 

 further, in view of the trouble, more or less serious, which h^s existed 

 in Europe, between steam-trawl fishermen and line fishermen, since 

 its inception there, it may be of interest to the department, and of 

 some future service, in the event of the expansion of the new industry, 

 if I give you a description of this mode of fishing, and a report of 

 the work of the first Canadian steam trawler during the late summer 

 and autumn; together with my observations on trawling in general, 

 and a sketch of what has been done, from time to time, for its regu- 

 lation in Great Britain. 



