AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1167 



Declared before me this 23d day of May, A. D. 1876, at St. John's 

 aforesaid. 



W. O. WHITEWAY, 



Notary Public. 

 No. 53. 



WILLIAM IT. MULLOY, master-mariner, aged 27 years, presently 

 residing at Gloucester, U. S. A., and now at St. John's, N. F., maketh 

 oath and saith : 



1 have prosecuted the Bank cod-fishery six years as master, and two 

 years as a hand ; during all this time I sailed from Gloucester, U. S. A. 

 The size of the United States vessels prosecuting the Bank fishery ranges 

 from sixty-five to ninety tons, carrying crews of from twelve to fourteen 

 men all told. 



The cost of outfit for a new banker of about seventy tons will be 

 about three thousand dollars over and above the price of the vessel. 



In the opinion of this deponent it is of the greatest importance for 

 American vessels prosecuting the Bank fishery from the United States 

 to be enabled to procure bait and refit their vessels in the harbors of 

 Newfoundland, it will enable them to increase the number of trips, and 

 the consequent lucrative results of the operation, especially if trans- 

 shipments be resorted to in Newfoundland harbors. The advantage of 

 baiting on the coast of Newfoundland, as compared with baiting on the 

 coast of Nova Scotia, or any other part of the Dominion of Canada, is 

 very considerable, inasmuch as from Newfoundland Harbors a vessel 

 baiting there can generally be upon the fishing grounds on the Banks 

 from twelve to twenty hours after leaving port, whereas from the coasts 

 of Nova Scotia, the distance being much greater and a greater preva- 

 lence of easterly winds, bait is liable to and does frequently become de- 

 teriorated before reaching the fishing grounds. 



From my experience and observation 1 am of the opinion that the 

 Bank fishery off the coast of Newfoundland is capable of vast expansion 

 and development, towards which the privilege of baiting and refitting 

 in the harbors of Newfoundland is indispensable. If United States ves- 

 sels were prevented from procuring bait on the coasts of Newfoundland 

 and the Dominion, they would be dependent alone upon salt bait 

 and such casual refuse bait, such as hagdown halibut, small codfish, 

 cod-roe, and such like, as could be got upon the Banks, and therefore 

 could not make more than one trip of codfish during the season ; in fact, 

 the Bank, fishery under such circumstances could not be carried on from 

 the United States with profitable results, and as a matter of fact, prior 

 to 1874, United States banking vessels have generally resorted to ports 

 on the Newfoundland coast for bait where they could evade custom offi- 

 cers and procure bait in contravention of the law. 



Prior to 1874 United States bankers threw away all fish less than 

 twenty-two inches or twenty-eight inches as caught; now the small fish 

 is brought into Newfoundland ports and there sold, slightly salted, to 

 advantage. I last year sold one hundred and fifty quintals of such 

 fish at nine shillings and sixpence per quintal. The privilege of selling 

 Oil in Newfoundland ports is of importance also as providing necessary 

 lunds for the purchase of bait and for refitting. 



The quantity of small codfish caught by each banker during the sea- 

 son will be fully two hundred and fifty quintals upon an average of 

 every two loads of codfish caught upon the Banks. The number of 

 United States vessels prosecuting the cod-fishery on the Banks off New- 

 foundland each season from the port of Gloucester is about three hun- 



