

114 FISHERIES OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 



invasion Chas. Robin appeals to Governor Cox to leave enough 

 land for the use of the fishermen, whose benefit is immense 

 not only in point of introducing wealth in the Kingdom, but 

 also in contributing to the British Marine in a very great 

 measure, since it is allowed by all persons that after the coal 

 trade the fishery makes or nurses up the most seamen. 



"Repeatedly his request was urged upon Governor Cox, 

 and two years later we find him writing to the Hon. John 

 Collins, Quebec, his views of what should be done to improve 

 the condition of the inhabitants and picturing the great values 

 of the fisheries of Gaspe. 'This bay,' he says, 'together with 

 Gaspe and the whole coast between the two places produces 

 at present about 50,000 quintals of fish and about 1,000 tierces 

 salmon. ' 



"An interesting note from Robin's letters is the follow- 

 ing, under date of August 12th, 1783 : ' The Guernsey men 

 have settled at Grand Greve. ' These early settlers on the 

 Grande Greve coast must have been independent fishermen 

 selling to the Robins, for no establishment was organized on 

 that shore till 1798, when the Janvrins established the business 

 now conducted by the Win. Fruing Co., Ltd., from Grande 

 Greve as a centre with a considerable number of stations 

 along the coast. 



"I have not attempted to give any details in regard to 

 the competitors of the Robin interests which have developed 

 on the coast during the past half century, of the Hymans, 

 Lebouthilliers Bros., Marquand & Co., Capy et Le Bas, The 

 Perce Fishing Co., C. Biard & Co. Some have gone and some 

 remain. It is common conviction on the coast, often expressed, 

 that the fishing is not as good as it was in bygone years, that 

 the cod are fewer and the bait scarcer, but in old Denys ' story 

 of the fishing during the half century ending with 1672 there 

 are occasional growls over scarcity of bait, and, if one con- 

 siders how the fishing stations have multiplied on the coast, 

 and how many more men are employed in the business than 

 ever before, then it is but natural that the share falling to 

 each man is palpably slender in comparison. Mr. Dolbel, 



