1488 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



government will be early called to the subject, and that but a brief pe- 

 riod will elapse before the blessing of the hardy fishermen of New Eng- 

 land, and your own industrious sons, will be gratefully returned for 

 this most philanthropic effort to preserve life and property, and for 

 which benefit every vessel should contribute its share of light-duty. 



3rd. It has been the means of developing the capacity of many of your 

 harbors, and exposing the dangers attending their entrance and the 

 necessity of immediate steps being taken to place buoys in such promi- 

 nent positions that the mariner would in perfect safety flee to them in 

 case of necessity, with a knowledge that these guides would enable him 

 to be sure of shelter and protection. 



From the desire manifested by your excellency previous to my leav- 

 ing Charlotte Town that I would freely express my views relative to the 

 recent most melancholy disaster, and make such suggestions as might 

 in my opinion have a tendency to prevent similar results, there is no 

 occasion for my offering an apology for addressing you at this time. 

 I have, &c., 



B. N. NORTON, 

 United States Consul for Pictou Dependency. 



His Excellency Sir A. BANNERMAN, <c., &c. 



No. 29. 



CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 

 St. John's, Newfoundland, June 25, 1853. 



SIR : I have the honor to receive and have laid before the Commer- 

 cial Society your letter of the 21st instant, stating that his excellency 

 the governor " will be glad to be enabled to convey to his grace, the 

 Duke of Newcastle, the views and wishes of the society on the subject of 

 the establishment of reciprocal free trade between this colony and the 

 United States of America.' 7 



And I am directed to acquaint yon, for the information of his excel- 

 lency, that the society, having fully considered the matter, are of opin- 

 ion, with reference to free trade with the United States, that as imports 

 from that country are now admitted upon the same terms as from Great 

 Britain and elsewhere, at a duty of about 5 per cent, (collected solely 

 for the purpose of revenue), whilst the produce of our fisheries are sub- 

 ject to a duty of 20 per cent, on admission to the United States, it is de- 

 sirable that in any commercial treaty entered into between the Govern- 

 ment of the United States and Great Britain, the interests of this colony 

 should be so far protected that goods imported from each country should 

 be received at the same rate of duty. 



That the views of the American Government should be obtained from 

 our minister at Washington, in order that the society may more fully 

 understand what they propose in reference to this colony, that the same 

 may be more fully considered before any definite arrangement be entered 

 into. 



That the prosperity of Newfoundland depending on her fisheries, it 

 would be impolitic and unwise to admit any foreign power to a partici- 

 pation therein further than has already unfortunately been done. 

 I have, &c., 



PETER McBRIDE, 

 President Chamber of Commerce. 



Hon. JAMES CROWDY, 



etc., cGc., etc. 



