AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1719 



thousand dollars for his load taken about Pass Island. American fishing vessel* Rub- 

 ing off and about Pass Island fished for halibut and codfish, but chiefly for halibut. 

 My estimate of the value of their catch is at least equal to ten thousand dollars per 

 annum, and such fishery was conducted exclusively within three miles of our shore*. 



There is no reason for supposing that the United States will not ex- 

 ercise the privilege which they have, to an equal or even greater degree 

 than the French use theirs. The prospects for lucrative results are more 

 promising to the United States than to France. The fishing grounds 

 are better and more convenient. During the years 1871-'72-'73, when 

 the United States first had the privileges granted by the Washington 

 Treaty, there was but an occasional United States vessel which went to 

 Newfoundland for bait. From 1873 to 1876 the number increased every 

 year; and in 1877, the present season, it is stated in evidence that an 

 immense number one witness, 1 believe, says nearly all the Grand Bank 

 vessels have supplied themselves there with fresh bait and some have 

 been employed in catching herring and conveying them to St. Pierre and 

 Miquelon, for the purpose of sale to the French. They then enter into 

 direct competition with our people. This, probably, is only a prelijde 

 to that competition in the Brazilian, West Indian, and European mar- 

 kets which we shall have to contend against. The Americans have, by 

 virtue of the right to land and cure their fish, the same advantages 

 which we possess for supplying those markets which now are the outlet 

 of our products. This business, by Americans, is evidently a growing 

 one, and as they acquire more and more intimate knowledge of the 

 coast, its harbors, and fishing grounds, and their extent and productive- 

 ness; as they find out, which they will do, that they can obtain their 

 fish close upon the coast, with all the conveniences which our inshore 

 fishery affords, including the ready facilities for obtaining bait close at 

 hand, with excellent harbors available for the security of their property, 

 is it possible to conceive that there are not those who will prefer this 

 investment of their capital rather than incur the risk of life and prop- 

 erty and those expensive equipments which are incident to vessels en- 

 gaged on the Bank fishery? 



Mr. Foster, in an early portion of his speech, undertakes to show " why 

 the fishermen and people of the United States have always manifested 

 such a feverish anxiety " to gain access to the inshore fisheries. His 

 explanation is that, at the time the various treaties which contain pro- 

 visions respecting the fisheries were concluded, the mackerel fishery in 

 the Gulf of St. Lawrence, as an industry, was unknown, and that their 

 efforts were directed to maintain their claim to the deep-sea fisheries. 

 As a matter of fact, the mackerel fishing by United States vessels in 

 Canadian waters sprung up at a period subsequent to the Convention of 

 1818. With the circumstances under which this branch of the fishing 

 business was commenced I am unacquainted ; but, doubtless, a more 

 intimate knowledge of the value of the inshore fisheries, acquired by 

 constant resort, under the privileges accorded by the convention, to the 

 coasts of British North America, coupled with the requisite knowledge 

 of the localities, harbors, and fishing grounds, led those fishermen who 

 had previously confined their operations to the CDd, halibut, and hake 

 fisheries, to enter upon the new and, as it has subsequently proved, 

 lucrative pursuit of the mackerel. This development ot the American 

 mackerel fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence affords a fair illustration o 

 that which will take place with regard to the Newfoundland inshore fish- 

 eries. Unquestionably the proceedings of this Commission, and the tes- 

 timony which has been taken of the most successful and enterprising 

 fishermen, will be. studied by those engaged in the fishing business. 



