AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1293 



twenty-five dollars, for each fisherman in the bay, there being about ftf- 

 teen hundred fishermen in the district of Fortune Bay and Grand Banks. 

 The estimate of fresh herrings sold to the French at St. Peter's in 

 April, each year, amounts to fifty thousand barrels, the price paid being 

 from one to sixteen francs ; an average of about ten francs per barrel 

 would be fair. In some years twice the quantity of herrings sold are 

 destroyed, being thrown away as useless. 



HEMtY T. HOLM AX. 

 Sworn before me, at Harbor Breton, this 15th day of November, 1870. 



j. O. Fit AS Kit. 

 Commissioner of Affidavits. 



No. 170. 



In the matter of the Fsheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, JOHN LEGRESLY, of Point St. Peter, make oath and say as follows : 



1. I am 42 years of age and have been 26 years on this coast. I have 

 carried on the fishing business for myself for the past 11 years ; before 

 that time I was in the employ of the late firm of Abraham Degruchy for 

 five years, and for ten years a partner in the fishing firm of Alexander and 

 Legresly. I am thoroughly acquainted with all that relates to the fish of 

 this coast, and the fishing and curing, as well as the nature of the mar- 

 kets for our fish. 



2. I employ 14 boats of rny own, and I supply from 15 to 20 other 

 boats whose fish I receive. The price obtained in the foreign markets 

 to which our fish is exported varies from $4.00 to $8.00 per quintal. 

 The fish obtains a better price because it is hard cured, and thus is fit 

 for warm climates; fish salted in bulk and kept in salt or pickle for any 

 length of time could never be dried to stand in warm climates. The 

 longest time our fish is allowed to remain under salt is three to four 

 days. 



3. I have never shipped any fish to the United States markets; my 

 fish obtains a better price elsewhere. 



4. The right of fishing on the American coast is of no value to us ; 

 none of our fishermen have ever gone there to fish. 



5. The free market of our fish in the United States is of no use to the 

 merchants and fishermen of this coast. 



6. During the years of the Reciprocity Treaty, about 150 vessels 

 came annually to Gaspe Bay, Meal Bay, and the neighborhood, where 

 they fished for mackerel ; during the years when the cutters were on the 

 coast to prevent the Americans from fishing in the inshore waters, a 

 few American vessels did still fish, managing to dodge the cutters. 

 Since the Treaty of Washington the number has not been so great as 

 during the Eeciprocity Treaty. Mackerel are plentiful on the coast this 

 season. 



7. The privilege of fishing in our waters, and lauding to get bait, of 

 transshipping cargoes, and landing to dry nets and cure fish, is certainly 

 a very great one to give any foreigner. I do not believe that a Bank 

 fisherman can depend on the supply of fish taken for bait on the Banks 

 by drifting or otherwise, and that to make a successful voyage they 

 must obtain fresh bait from the iushores. Salt bait is not equal to fresh 

 bait. 



8. I consider in the interest of our population, which is fast increasing, 



