AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1465 



to prevent these proceedings, but in vain; but they have been threUwd with cor- 

 poral violence by the American fishermen, who ou several occasions have atUMimuxl to 

 capture and carry them off to the States. 



From undoubted information laid before your committee it is inatiifrwt that Ameri- 

 can aggressions of this nature are not confined to the southern .shore* of the prorioec 

 Th Bay of Chaleur and the adjacent harbors are annually infested by Amr!<-ti ii,h 

 ing vessels, carrying on an illicit trade with the inhabitants and committing u<b det>- 

 redationg upon the fisheries as ought no longer to be endured. 



Your committee earnestly submit the subject to the grave confederation of th home 

 and cannot forbear expressing their hope that the wisdom of the hotim* may nt> { 

 such prompt measures as will immediately remove the grievances complaint of. 



W. F. W. OWKV 

 JAMKS HKOWX, Jrx. 

 W. EVKT. 



CoMMlTTE-RoOM, March 16, 1839. 



This report being accepted by the house 



Resolved, That an humble address be presented to his excellency the lieutenant-gov- 

 ernor, communicating the foregoing report aud requesting that his excellency will IMS 

 pleased to take such measures thereon as to him shall seem expedient. 



CHAS. P. WITMORE, 



No. 9. 



TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. 



Most Gracious Sovereign: 



We, Your Majesty's dutiful aud loyal subjects, the legislative council 

 and assembly of Prince Edward Island, in general assembly convened, 

 humbly approach the Throne, with sentiments of the most sincere and 

 affectionate attachment to Your Majesty's person and government. 



We beg leave to state to Your Majesty that the subject of encroach- 

 ments upon the shores of this island by American fishermen has been 

 brought to our notice by his excellency the lieutenant-governor, in his 

 opening speech at the commencement of the present session ; that we 

 have given this important subject due consideration; and from informa- 

 tion that we have collected, we find that the Americans are constantly 

 in the habit of fishing within the prescribed distance, as defined by the 

 convention of the year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, of 

 running into our harbors, bays, and creeks, whenever it suits their con- 

 venience, to procure bait, and of thus seizing the opportunity to carry 

 on a contraband trade with the inhabitants of this island. 



That the ship of war graciously sent by Your Majesty every season, 

 for the purpose of cruising round^our coast to protect the fisheries, is 

 ineffective, inasmuch as it cruises to visit the several fishing stations 

 around the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, for which they are better 

 adapted than for the shallow waters around this island, and the Ameri- 

 can fishermen take advantage of the absence of the ship of war to con- 

 tinue their encroachments. 



That an armed steamer, drawing but little water, would, in the opin- 

 ion of the council and assembly, be much more effective in protecting 

 our fisheries from the encroachments of the Americans than a ship of 

 war, as the steamer could take advantage of the liglit winds and cal 

 so frequent during the fishing season, aud could run into the j 

 bays, rivers, and creeks of our shores, and seize American vessels, if 

 crews thereof are acting contrary to and iti violation of all the terms 

 the Convention. 



We, therefore, humbly pray that Your Majesty will be gracn 



