AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1497 



have seen as many as thirteen vessels at one moment fishing close 

 inshore, but of course the whole were outside the limit before they 

 could be approached. The inhabitants of Port Daniel complained that, 

 prior to this season, the Americans were in the habit of hauling their 

 seines in the bay, greatly to the loss and impoverishment of the inhab- 

 itants. 



The inhabitants of Gaspe" Basin and the neighborhood complained of 

 the behavior of an American, Mr. Ebenezer Marshall, of the schooner 

 S. T. Marshall, last year. They stated that he hauled his large seines 

 on Sandy Beach, forming the harbor, and had brought to land large 

 numbers of young codfish, which were useless to him. 



The spot always had been a favorite breeding-place for the cod, and 

 they feared that its character would be totally changed, and great loss 

 to them ensue, if that practice was pursued. 



They also stated that they feared the mackerel would avoid the bay 

 for a season if the seining was persisted in. 



With regard to the best method of protecting the fisheries during the 

 ensuing season, I beg to make this suggestion : 



That in the Gulf of St. Lawrence the stations 4, 5, and 6 be placed 

 under a senior officer, so that any one of the cruisers under the altered 

 system might be able to refer any question or difficulty to him. The 

 senior officer would then be able to clear up questions, and explain mat- 

 ters of a delicate character, on the spot. He also would be able to re- 

 lieve the cruiser, in the event of a capture having been made by her, 

 by receiving the necessary witnesses on board, instead of the capturing 

 ship being kept off her station for a length of time. 



The fact of being able to communicate on the spot with a superior 

 immediately engaged in the same duty would naturally strengthen the 

 position of those engaged in an arduous duty of the character for the 

 first time, and lessen the isolation now experience. 



In my opinion, it requires a personal acquaintance with those engaged 

 in the fisheries, and also a knowledge of the class of officials met with, 

 to be able to detect the subterfuges to which they have recourse in order 

 to gain their ends. 



With respect to the Dominion cruisers, and their fitness for the duty 

 required of them, I am prompted to make the following remarks : 



'Of those which I have fallen in with, the Ella T. Maclean draws too 

 much water to be a serviceable cruiser. 



The England is too indifferent a sailer to be of much service. 



I observe that I have omitted to mention that the master of the S. T. 

 Marshall last year, and complained of to me, is the same Ebenezer Mar- 

 shall in command of her when captured. 

 I have, &c., 



E. HARDINGE. 



Xo. 40. 



[Extract of a despatch from Captain Phillimore to Vice-Admiral Fanshawe.] 



SPHINX, HALIFAX, November 15, 1870. 



SIR : With reference to Article III of the fishery restrictions, I have 

 to inform you that the most plentiful sorts of fish on the western coast 

 of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence are salmon, cod, ling, mackerel, and 

 herring ; and the best baits that are used for catching them are small 



