1470 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



a basis of reciprocal advantage, might be established. They presume 

 that the immense importance to the United States of an uninterrupted 

 right of fishing on the shores of this island as a basis of treaty ought 

 to insure for them valuable concessions; and if this be not possible, 

 that the fisheries ought to be scrupulously maintained in the spirit of 

 the treaty of 1818. 



We most humbly pray that Your Majesty will be most graciously 

 pleased to take the premises into your favorable consideration, and 

 cause to be removed the restrictions of the treaty of 1818, prohibiting 

 American citizens from fishing within certain prescribed limits on the 

 shores of this island, provided the American Government admit articles 

 the growth or production of this island into the United States duty-free, 

 in accordance with the act of the general assembly of this island passed 

 in the twelfth year of Your Majesty's reign, entitled "An act to authorize 

 free trade with the United States of America in certain enumerated 

 articles, including fish, also vessels built on this island to American 

 registry." 



And as in duty bound we shall ever pray. 



R. HOGDSON, 



President. 



COUNCIL CHAMBER, February 9, 1852. 



ALEXANDER RAE, 



Speaker. 



HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, February 9, 1852. 



No. 13. 



Copy of a dispatch from Lieutenant-Governor Sir A. Banner man to Earl 



Grey. 



GOVERNMENT HOUSE, February 12, 1852. 



MY LORD: In reference to the accompanying dispatch, 1 beg leave 

 to direct your lordship's attention to a colonial act, 6th Viet., cap. 14, 

 page 698 of the volume of statutes which I recently forwarded to your 

 lordship. The act to which I refer is one which received the royal as- 

 sent on the 3d September, 1844, and an order was on the same day made 

 by Her Majesty in council, declaring "that its clauses and provisions 

 should be the rules, regulations, and restrictions, respecting the fisheries 

 on the coasts, bays, creeks, or harbors of the Island of Prince Edward." 



2. By the provisions of this act officers of customs and excise, sheriffs, 

 magistrates, and any person holding a commission from the lieutenant- 

 governor, are authorized to board, search, &c., vessels within three ma- 

 rine miles of the coast; "and if found fishing, preparing to fish, or to 

 have been fishing " within that distance, such vessels, with their cargoes, 

 to be seized, and forfeited, &c., &c. 



3. The provisions of this act have never yet been enforced, but should 

 the fishery question remain much longer' unsettled, in all probability 

 attempts will be made to seize American vessels and such attempts will 

 be resisted, which may lead to collisions, the consequences of which are 

 not easily to be foreseen. 



4. To guard against any such occurrences, I think it would be very 

 desirable for Her Majesty's Govern tneut to order a steamer to be sta- 

 tioned here from the 1st June to the 1st October, the commander of 



