BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 551 



A participation by fishermen of the United States in the freedom 

 of these waters must, notwithstanding their wonderfully reproductive 

 capacity, tell materially on the local catch, and, while affording to 

 the United States fishermen a profitable employment, must seriously 

 interfere with local success. The extra amount of bait also which 

 is required for the supply of the United States demand for the bank 

 fishery must have the effect of diminishing the supply of cod for 

 the inshores, as it is well known that the presence of that fish is 

 caused by the attraction offered by a large quantity of bait fishes, 

 and as this quantity diminishes the cod will resort in fewer num- 

 ber to the coast. The effect of this diminution may not in all proba- 

 bility be apparent for some years to come, and whilst United States 

 fishermen will have the liberty of enjoying the fisheries for several 

 years in their present teeming and remunerative state, the effects 

 of overfishing may, after their right to participate in them has lapsed, 

 become seriously prejudicial to the interests of the local fishermen. 



II. The privilege of procuring bait and supplies, refitting, drying, 



transshipping, c&c. 



Apart from the immense value to United States fishermen of 

 participation in the Newfoundland inshore fisheries, must be esti- 

 mated the important privilege of procuring bait for the prosecution 

 of the bank and deep-sea fisheries, which are capable of unlimited 

 expansion. With Newfoundland as a basis of operations, the right 

 of procuring bait, refitting their vessels, drying and curing fish, pro- 

 curing ice in abundance for the preservation of bait, liberty of trans- 

 shipping their cargoes, &c., an almost continuous prosecution of the 

 bank fishery is secured to them. By means of these advantages 

 United States fishermen have acquired, by the Treaty of Washington, 

 all the requisite facilities for increasing their fishing operations to 

 such an extent as to enable them to supply the demand for fish food 

 in the United States markets, and largely to furnish the other fish- 

 markets of the world, and thereby exercise a competition which must 

 inevitably prejudice Newfoundland exporters. It must be remem- 

 bered, in contrast with the foregoing, that United States fishing craft, 

 before the conclusion of the Treaty of Washington, could only avail 

 themselves of the coast of Newfoundland for obtaining a supply of 

 wood and water, for shelter, and for necessary repairs in case of 

 accident, and for no other purpose whatever; they therefore prose- 

 cuted the bank fishery under great disadvantages, notwithstanding 

 which, owing to the failure of the United States local fisheries, and 

 the consequent necessity of providing new fishing grounds, the bank 

 fisheries have developed into a lucrative source of employment to the 

 fishermen of the United States. That this position is appreciated by 

 those actively engaged in the bank fisheries is attested by the state- 

 ments of competent witnesses, whose evidence will be laid before the 

 Commission. 



It is impossible to offer more convincing testimony as to the value 

 to United States fishermen of securing the right to use the coast of 

 Newfoundland as a basis of operations for the bank fisheries than is 

 contained in the declaration of one who has been for six years so 

 occupied, sailing from the ports of Salem and Gloucester, in Massa- 



