286 



APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



whose windows have been broke, and the life and comfort of his 

 family endangered thereby. They also boast, that their success in 

 that particular is one step towards the loss of our fees, if not the 

 abolition of the Custom-house. It was perfectly understood at the 

 time, that fishing ships meant only bankers, on board of which the 

 Fish is first caught ; and not those ships that make freights, carrying 

 in the first place all kinds of goods and merchandize from Great 

 Britain, and among other articles those on which debentures are 

 allowed, by which the Revenue is much concerned. From Newfound- 

 land the ships are laden with dry cured Fish, on which they make 

 good freights to the markets of Spain, Portugal, Italy, &c., and the 

 islands in the West Indies; the latter ships, were formerly called 

 Sack Ships; but to take advantage of the Custom-house Officers, the 

 trade aimed at taking out fishing certificates, and by that method, if 

 possible, call them Fishing Ships, whereas there never was any Fish 



caught on board of them. 

 173 Having thus far given the honourable Committee a history 



of the difficulties and persecutions the Officers have suffered 

 in the execution of their duty, permit me. to submit the following 

 list of fees, being a copy of that received from the Officers of the port 

 of Halifax, in Nova Scotia (which was confirmed to us by the right 

 honourable the Lords Committee of Trade in the year 1785) together 

 with those prescribed by the Act of the loth of His present Majesty, 

 which alone has governed our demand; of course we feel a pleasure 

 arising from being conscious that we have not in any respect deviated 

 from the before-mentioned authority; and that we trust our conduct 

 will bear any further investigation that may be thought necessary. 



List of fees. 



In addition to the foregoing list of fees, there is paid to the Gov- 

 ernor's Secretary 11. 10s. for Mediterranean passes, and 10.*. fid. for 

 every register. The Naval Officer's fee upon registers is Gs. 8d. ; he 

 has also fees for the entry and clearance of every vessel, and every 

 document mentioned in the above list. 



Fishing ships or bankers, qualified conformably to an Act of the 

 10th and llth of king William the Third, or an Act of the 15th of 

 His present Majesty's reign, are subject only to the payment of 2s. Qd. 

 to the Officers of the Customs, in lieu of all other fees for each report. 



N. B. Exclusive of the foregoing fees, the Officers consider them- 

 selves entitled to gratuities from the merchants, under the Act of the 



