55 



Besides, at the period of commercial disasters at Newfoundland, the 

 French and Americans had not recovered from the effects of war, and 

 had not, to a very alarming extent, resumed their adventures upon the 

 coasts or "tlie banks" of that island. 



The competition between the colonists and the people just men- 

 tioned increased ; but the English fishciry gradually revived. The an- 

 nual catch is now nearly a milUon of (juintals. There have been sea- 

 sons of fluctuations since the 5'cars referred to: depression is an inci- 

 dent in every human employment. Maritime pursuits are more uncer- 

 tain than those of the soil or those of the work-shop. Of the fisheries, 

 particularly, it is entirely true to say that they never have afforded, and 

 never will afford, constant and continuous rewards ; for, aside from the 

 losses conse(]uent upon overstocked and glutted markets, the most un- 

 wearied industry and the highest degree of skill are often insufficient 

 to insure g(V)d fares. Our colonial neighbors should take these matters 

 into the account, and while lamenting their calamities, remember that 

 the American fishermen, whose condition they consider so much pref- 

 erable to their own, are subject to the same reverses, and would gladly 

 surrender many of the privileges they are supposed to enjo}^ for the 

 liberty of living near to, and of fre(^ly using, the inner or shore fishing- 

 grounds, of wliich they ar(! now deprived, and which are reserved ex- 

 clusivel}^ for British subjects. 



As a branch of industry, we need pursue our inquiries relative to the 

 Newfoundland cod-fishery no further. The table of statistics, compiled 

 from the best sources of information open to me, and which I think is 

 substantially accurate, may be referred to as affording a general view 

 of the subject for the last thirt\^ years. The exports are to Portugal, 

 Italy, Spain, Brazil, the British West Indies, the British continental 

 possessions in America, to Great Britain, Ireland, and Scotland. In 

 some of these markets the merchants of Newfoundland have no com- 

 petitors. As much as they complain of us and of our policy, our ports 

 axe o[)en to the importation of their staple commodity, on terms which 

 are producing alarming changes in the propert}' and prospects of those 

 of our countrymen whose position on the coast of New England, and 

 whose habits and general circumstances, leave them no choice of em- 

 ployments. 



Nc\vfi)un(lland is connected with some of the most interesting events 

 to be f()nnd in our annals. Cabot saw it befirore Columbus set f()ot on 

 the American continent. There came the first men of the Saxon race, 

 under the first iMiglish chart(!r, to found an English colony. Visiters 

 to, or residents upon its shores, wen; fh(^ noble (filbert, and Iiaicigh, 

 the f ither of colonization in this hemisphere; Mason and Calvert, the 

 f()un(lers of two of the (Jnitcd St.at<'s. Among those who lent aid and 

 countenance to the enterprises to people if, in earl\ lime, were persons 

 of rank and wealth — and Jiaeon, of world-wide fiiin(>. Jn its waters 

 were I lie first trials by jury in America. 'I'he fi-eedom of" its fisheries 

 was assert(!d by Coke, and other eliamj)ioiis of English libertv, in tones 

 to rous(; the popular mind, rnid to put an end to cliarteri'd ni()ii()])()Iists. 



In some n-spocts New foiiiKJIand is "a great Eiigli.^li ship iiioni-cd 

 near the Banks," even in the second half of the nintMeenlli ceiitiuy. 

 Twenty years have not elapsed since the system, wliich was hardly a 



