A.FJPENDIX G. 





AFFIDAVITS PRODUCED IX SUPPORT OF THE CASE OF 

 HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. 



Ko. 1. 



DOMINION OF CANADA, 



Province of Prince Edward Island, Queens County, to wit: 

 I, ALEXANDER M. MCNEILL, of Cavendish, in Prince Edward Island, 

 farmer and fisherman, a justice of the peace for Queens County, Prince 

 Edward Island, make oath and say : 



1. That I have been actively engaged in the fisheries off my farm at 

 Cavendish since the year 1851, and have personally carried on the fish- 

 ing. 



2. I have had three boats engaged fishing every season, employing 

 seven hands besides myself, and at the same time cultivating my farm. 



3. The first few years my catch was not very good, owing greatly to 

 the presence in such great numbers of the American fleet. 



4. The numbers of this fleet throughout the gulf [ don't know but 

 I have counted from my own shore over one hundred sail of American 

 fish ing- vessels, and that within three miles of the shore. 



5. 1 attribute the poor boat-fishing of years gone by, during the Re- 

 ciprocity Treaty, to the presence of the American fishing fleet. 



ti. Their custom was, to the number of from sixty to one hundred sail, 

 to harbor in Malpeque, and then start out in the morning for the fishing 

 grounds. If they saw a small boat taking mackerel, they would steer 

 straight for them, going to windward and drift down, throwing buit, 

 and either take the fish away or injure the boats: This was common for 

 years, and very largely and materially prejudiced the boat-fishing. 



7. During the past four or five years we have not been much annoyed 

 with them. The British and Canadian cruisers had something to do with 

 keeping them in order, and during the last two years only a small fleet 

 has frequented the gulf. 



8. The consequence has been that the catch by the boats has been 

 very largely increased, and also the number of fishing-boats, which has 

 more than doubled during the past four years. Many new boats are 

 being built, and my opinion is that their number will increase every year. 



9. During the past nine years my catch would average about one 

 hundred barrels each season ; but I do not make a business of fishing. 

 In fact, I only prosecute it about two months in the season, combin- 

 ing fishing and farming. 



10. I would think the number of fishing-boats at Rustico harbors 

 would number about one hundred and fifty. 



11. My twenty years' experience has proved to me that the best mack- 

 erel-fishing around our coasts is about a mile from the shore, in from 

 seven to ten fathoms of water. 



12. All the fish caught by the boats are taken within a mile of the 

 coast, many of them within half a mile, during the months of July and 



