165 



formal or incomplete; or, whose masters proceeded upon fishing voy- 

 ages under licences to follow the coasting trade, have been rejected. 



Much has been said, from time to timi, about the extent of frauds in 

 procuring the allowances nuthorized under the system of bounties. As 

 late as 1840, the Senate of the United States caused an investigation, 

 in order to ascertain the truth of special and of general .-illegations. 

 The proper officers of the treasury communicated to that body several 

 documents containing all the information in their possession, which 

 show that there had been instances of mistaken construction of the 

 law, of non-compliance with the prescribed rules and forms, and of 

 actual f-aud. But the number, of all descriptions, was limited, nud of 

 the latter, especially, very small. Still, it cannot be doubted that, as 

 in every other business, sojne dishonest men are concerned in this 

 branch of industry, and defraud both the government and the persons 

 whom they employ, whenever opportunity to do so occurs. It would 

 seem that, under this circuhir, fraudulent owners and masters must 

 soon dis ipj)ear, since the most daring and expert, in the past, will 

 hardlv adventure upon miking the f;dse records and representations, 

 upon committing the forgeries and perjuries, which will be necessary 

 to evade its provisions. In a word, the officers of the customs, if faith 

 ful to their duty, can put an end to corruption, and of consequence to 

 the demands to repenl the "fishing bounty allowances," often made on 

 the ground that our fishermen, whether honest or dishonest, claim and 

 receive almost al pleasure the money of the government. 



Ch'culur insiruclions to certain collectors of the customs relative to fishing 



hountij allowances. 



Treasury Departmkxt, 



February 20, 1S52. 



For tho purpose of producing unif)rniiiy in the requirements of proofs 

 by collectors who are charged with the allowance of bounty on the 

 tonnage of vessels employed in tlie bank or other cod-fislierics, it has 

 been deemed advisable to embody the existing regtihitions, prescribed 

 during a series of years past for the execution of the laws on that sub- 

 ject, in the present instructions. 



To entitle fisliing vessels to the allownnce of bounty, the laws require 

 that they shall h ive been exclusively employed in the cod-fishery at 

 sea a specified period between the last day of February and the last 

 day of JVovemb T, under certain restrictions and conditions. No allow- 

 ance can be made unless the proofs herein pointed out arc duly made 

 in good faith, and presented to the collector at the custom house where 

 tluj cod-(isliing license was issued, f()r his decision. Tlicse indispen- 

 sable proofs are set forth, with the necessary explanations, as f )ll(i\vs : 



1. In the case ot a vessel of twenty tons burden or upwards, the 

 original agreement made previous 1o the fishing voyage or voyages of 

 the vessel between tlie inasffr or skipper thereof, and every fisherman 

 employed therein, noi bring an aj)i)ri'iiiice or servant of the m ister 

 Rki{)per or owner, which original agn'eincnt must be endorsed or eoun- 

 tcrsigned by the owner of the vessel or his agent, and amst express 



