1418 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



than those caught in American waters ; take one year with another, the 

 price would be about the same in the United States market. 



15. The opportunity of transshipping cargoes enjoyed by American 

 fishermen since the Treaty of Washington is a great advantage to them. 

 I have known American vessels to make three trips in one season, by 

 transshipping their cargoes at the Bay de Chaleur. 



16. It is a great advantage to American fishermen to procure bait in 

 the Canadian iushores, and it is more profitable and causes them less 

 delay to buy it than to catch it. 



17. The American fishermen cannot carry on the cod and other fish- 

 eries of the deep sea around otw coasts, without the privilege of resort- 

 iug to our inshores to procure bait, and would have to abandon the 

 business to a great extent if they were deprived of the privilege. 



18. It is a great advantage to American fishermen to resort to Cana- 

 dian inshores for ice and other supplies required in their fishery business. 



19. The privilege of fishing in American waters is of no practical ad- 

 vantage to Canadian fisherman. I never have known any of our Cana- 

 dian fishermen to make any use of their fishing-grounds. 



20. The privilege to each American vessel of procuring bait and trans- 

 shipping cargoes in Canadian iushores, would be at the least one thou- 

 sand dollars. 



21. The Americans having free access to our Canadian inshore fisher- 

 ies, and the large quantities of all kinds of fish taken by them, hinder s 

 the Canadians from getting as good a market as they would if they had 

 the exclusive right of the inshore fisheries. 



The foregoing statement is correct to the best of my knowledge and 

 belief. 



Captain A. H. OUTHOUSE. 



Sworn before me at Tivertou, in the couuty of Digby, this 13th Au- 

 gust, A. D. 1877. 



JOHN A. SMITH, /. P. 



' No. 285. 



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



of Washington. 



I, JOHN MERCHANT, of Hardwicke, in the couuty of Xorthumberlaud, 

 fisherman, make oath and say as follows : 



1. I have been fifteen seasons, or years, engaged in business as a fish- 

 erman in Bay Chaleur, Miramichi Bay, Gispe, all through the Gulf of 

 Saint Lawrence, and all along the shore of Kent County; and was also 

 five years as master on board of various American fishing-vessels say 

 three years in the Oak Grove, two years in King Fisher, both belonging 

 to the port of Belfast, United States. The balance of the fifteen years 

 I was chiefly engaged in small and large vessels of Miramichi Bay and 

 Prince Edward Island, and in different places around our coast. 



2. During the years I was master of Oak Grove and King Fisher, 

 the number of sail would average about 500 sail, would average about 

 fifteen men each, and tonnage about 75; and the places fished were 

 Prince Edward Island, Bay Chaleur, Miramichi Bav, Gaspe; the kind 

 of fish caught, mackerel. 



3. I would say the average catch during the five years I was fishing 

 was about 400 barrels eacli vessel, valued about 812 per barrel. 



4. Mackerel are as plentiful now as when I fished. 



