1358 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



8 I consider the privilege of fishing in American waters, granted to 

 us bv the Treaty of Washington, of no value to our fishermen, as they 

 would never think of leaving their own profitable waters for ones already 



exhausted. 



9 I consider it a matter of great importance to us to keep our fish- 

 eries in our own hands and not to allow Americans or any one else to 

 have the right of exhausting our waters. 



10. The American market for our fish, free of duty, is of no advan- 

 tage to us. I have never shipped any fish to the United States ; all our 

 li-sh are sent to Europe or the Brazils. 



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

 edge and belief, correct. JQHN 



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

 St. John, in the county of Saguenay, of the Province of Quebec, this 

 <8th day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 



P. FORTIX, J. P. 



No. 224. 



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



of Washington. 



I, WILLIAM FRANCIS BOWER, of Point St. Peter, of the county of 

 Gaspe, of the Province of Quebec, fisheries agent at Sheldrake for 

 Messrs. John & Elias Collas, make oath and say as follows: 



1. I have for the last three years been manager of Messrs. J. & E. 

 Collas's fishing establishment at Sheldrake. I understand thoroughly 

 every operation connected with fishing and curing fish. 



2. The fish taken here are cod, herring, mackerel, and halibut ; of these 

 I am only concerned iu the cod-fishery ; but I am well aware that all the 

 fisheries here are carried on within three miles of the coast, except on 

 one small bank, which lies some seven or eight miles from the shore, be- 

 tween Sheldrake and Thunder River. The fishermen, however, very 

 seldom go there. 



3. The codfish cured here rank as Gaspe fish, number one, and are 

 superior to American cured fish, and command higher prices in the Bra- 

 zilian and European markets. 



4. I can confidently state that our fishermen will never go to fish in 

 United States waters, and consequently that the right acquired by the 

 Treaty of Washington is of no value whatever to us. 



5. From the knowledge I have of the fish trade, I am in a position to 

 state that the right of having a market free of duty for our fish in the 

 United States is of no value to us. 



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

 edge and belief, correct. 



WILLIAM FRANCIS BOWER, 



The said William Francis Bower has sworn to the truth of the above 

 affidavit at Sheldrake, this seventh day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 



P. FORTIN, J. P. 





