1296 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



9. I consider it impossible for a vessel to make a good fishery Bank 

 fishing without obtaining fresh bait from shore, as the supply of bait on 

 the Banks is very uncertain and cannot be depended upon. Salted bait 

 is by no means equal to fresh bait. 



10. During the existence of the Reciprocity Treaty I saw many Ameri- 

 can schooners fishing for mackerel in our inshore waters. I have seen 

 as many as 30 at one time fishing in Griffiu's Cove. I estimate the an- 

 nual number of American schooners fishing for mackerel from Gaspe" 

 Bay to Fox River at about from 120 to 150. Since the Treaty of Wash- 

 ington American vessels have fished for mackerel in our iushores, but 

 not in such numbers. Mackerel are generally plentiful on this coast ; 

 the number has increased of late years, and this year they are quite 

 plentiful. 



11. The Americans used during the Reciprocity Treaty to land, espe- 

 cially when I was at Griffin's Cove, and commit depredations and do 

 damage to property, and threaten and annoy the people. I am also 

 aware that they used to sell and barter goods that had not been entered 

 at the custom-house. The vessels used to anchor among the moorings 

 and nets aud interfere seriously with our own fishermen by obstructing 

 them. 



I hereby swear that the above affidavit is, to the best of my knowl- 

 edge and belief, correct. 



JOHN LEGROS. 



The said John Legros has sworn to the truth of the above affidavit at 

 Point St. Peter's this thirteenth day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 



P. FORTIN, J. P. 



No. 173. 



In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, tinder the Treaty 



of Washington. 



I, ADOLPHUS E. COLLA.S, of Point St. Peter, in the county of Gaspe*, 

 in the Province of Quebec, make oath and say as follows : 



1. I was born in Jersey. I am 31 years of age, and have been sixteen 

 years on the coast here, and all that time in the employment of Messrs. 

 J. & E. Collas, fish merchants, carrying on the fishery on the north and 

 south shores of the River and Gulf of St. Lawrence. I aui their general 

 agent. 



2. We have fishing establishments at, the following places : Point St. 

 Peter's (headquarters), Mallbay, Gaspe Basin, Moisie, Sheldrake, St 

 John, these three last places on the north shore, aud English Bay at 

 the west point of Anticosti. 



3. We own ourselves 120 fishing-boats, and employ besides 230 boats 

 owned by fishermen of the coast. They are supplied by us and give us 

 their fish. These boats are engaged solely in the cod fishery. I may 

 state that the cod is our principal business, although we deal in other 

 fish aud fish-oil. Our codfish is all dried and exported to foreign coun- 

 tries in our own vessels. This fish is specially prepared for exportation 

 to the West Indies, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, and Italy. It is superior to 

 any other codfish, prepared no matter where; its superiority lies in its 

 being perfectly dried, so that it will keep tor a length of time in hot cli- 

 mates when other fish will spoil. We own six sea-going vessels engaged 

 in this foreign trade, and two coasters. We also at times charter other 

 vessels 



