1468 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



always deeply in debt in the spring, or at any rate sufficiently so to 

 insure his labor for the ensuing summer, and so more persons would be 

 induced to resort here the summer season. 



The want of knowledge of the method of catching and curing could 

 be easily remedied. A little practice, with the aid of some government 

 inspectors well conversant with the whole operation, together with the 

 method of curing herrings in the Dutch fashion, who should inspect and 

 brand the barrels, would soon remedy the evil complained of, and give 

 a character and value to their fish. The fishermen, when asked why 

 they do not catch mackerel, replied that they have not the means, and 

 that the Americans have some secret of catching the fish, which cou- 

 sists, I am told, in throwing overboard chopped and crushed bait, thereby 

 attracting the fish around their vessel, when they are ready with plenty 

 of bands and good gear to take advantage of the opportunity. 



The American schooners engaged in fishing during the summer in the 

 gulf are, I am told, in the winter employed in the coasting trade, and 

 some fish off the Banks near New York. This employment during the 

 winter is an advantage which the vessels of our colonies would not have, 

 but this is counterbalanced by having the fish so abundant along the 

 shores at all points as to render the necessity of employment of vessels 

 devoted to that purpose almost unnecessary. 



About 600 American schooners passed through the Gut of Canso this 

 year in the prosecution of the mackerel fishing, many of which have 

 returned with two or three cargoes. There are three qualities of mack- 

 erel those taken in the spring are of an inferior quality, called No. 3; 

 later in the year No. 2, and in the fall No. 1. 



It is said that from 60 to 70 more schooners this year than last, many 

 of them new, are in the gulf this season. 



No. 11. 



[Extract of a dispatch from Sir A. Baunerman to Earl Grey, dated Prince Edward 

 Island, November 15, 1851.] 



6. To the United States Government the fisheries are of vast im- 

 portance, and they will become more so in this part of North America 

 when the New Brunswick Railway runs, as is proposed, near to Shediac, 

 within a few hours' sail of the harbor of Bedoque in this island, from 

 which the produce of the fisheries would be sent to Boston in a very 

 short space of time, leaving the fishing-vessels to prosecute their occu- 

 pation, instead of carrying home their cargoes, as they frequently do, and 

 returning to the fishing-grounds in the same season, performing a vov- 

 age of 1,200 to 1,500 miles. 



7. Your lordship will have some idea of the magnitude of the Ameri- 

 can fleet of fishermen when I inform you that about the latter end of 

 September 250 United States schooners came into Malpeque, on the 

 north side of this island. They are beautifully equipped, averaging 

 from CO to 110 tons, and their crews consist of from ten to twelve men 

 each. About 1 ,."><)() O f them landed at Prince Town and attended an 

 agricultural show there. They behaved as well and peaceably as so 

 many sailors congregated together could be expected to do ; but this 

 will not always be the case where brandy and rum are to be had cheap. 

 They are under no control, and, as they daily infringe the treaty by fish- 

 ing close to the shore, the United States 'Go vernment cannot be ex- 



