AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1487 



tude and national importance as the shore-fisheries of British America, 

 which, when once alienated, may never be recovered. 



Yoar memorialists would therefore most earnestly pray Your Majeatv 

 to consent to no alteration of the Convention of 1818 with the United 

 States of America which would tend to deprive them of, or abridge 

 their rights to, the shore-fisheries on this coast, until the terms upon 

 which such alteration is proposed to be made be first submitted to thin 

 province for their concurrence. 

 And as in duty bound Your Majesty's memorialists will ever pray 



W. A. BLACK, 

 High Sheriff of the County of Northumberland, 



Chairman of the Meeting. 

 NEWCASTLE, MIRAMICHI, January 5, 1853. 



No. 28. 



CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, 

 Province of Nova Scotia, Pictou, October 28, 1852. 



SIB : Since my return from Charlotte Town, where I had the honor of 

 an interview with your excellency, my time has been so constantly em- 

 ployed in the discharge of official duties connected with the results of 

 the late disastrous gale, so severely felt on the north side of Prince Ed- 

 ward Island, that I have not found time to make my acknowledgments 

 to your excellency for the kind and courteous reception extended to me 

 at the government-house, nor to furnish you with my views relative to 

 some improvements which might be made by your excellency's govern- 

 ment, thereby preventing a similar catastrophe to the one which has so 

 lately befallen many of my countrymen; and at the same time on behalf 

 of the Government of the United States, which I have the honor to 

 represent, to thank you most feelingly for the promptness and energy 

 displayed by your excellency in issuing proclamations, whereby the 

 property of the poor shipwrecked mariner should be protected from 

 pillage. 



These various duties devolving on me, I now have the pleasure of dis- 

 charging, but only in a brief and hurried manner. 



The effect of the recent visitation of Providence, although most disas- 

 trous in its consequences, will yet result in much good. 



In the first place, it has afforded the means of knowing the extent and 

 value of fisheries on your coast, the number of vessels and men em- 

 ployed and the immense benefit which would result to the people within 

 your jurisdiction, as well as those of the United States, if the fisher- 

 men were allowed unrestrained liberty to fish in any portion of your 

 waters, and permitted to land for the purpose of curing and packing. 



From remarks made by your excellency, I am satisfied it is a subject 

 which has secured your most mature reflection and consideration, and 

 that it would be a source of pride and pleasure to your excellency to 

 carry into successful operation a measure fraught with so much interest 

 to both countries. 



2d. It has been satisfactorily proved, by the testimony of many of those 

 who escaped from a watery grave in the late gales, that had there bee 

 beacon-lights upon the two extreme points of the coast, extending adia 

 tance of 150 miles, scarcely any lives would have been lost, and 

 small amount of property been sacrificed. And I am satisfied, fi 

 the opinion expressed by your excellency, that the attention of yoi 



