1742 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Mr. DOUTRE. I think at this hour we must understand the bearing 

 of the testimony, or we will never do so. The fisheries in Maine have 

 been completely destroyed, and no longer exist. I will read from the 

 testimony on that point in a few moments. 



The number of American vessels frequenting the British-American 

 waters could not be estimated with any degree of precision. Witnesses 

 could only speak of what they had seen, and but very few of them, could, 

 within a short time, go over all the fishing-grounds and make an esti- 

 mate, even if they had gone round with that object in view. They had 

 to trust to what they had heard from other parties, who about the same 

 time had been in other portions of these waters, and by combining the 

 knowledge acquired from others with their own they were able to give 

 a statement of the number of vessels frequenting those waters. 



Captain Fortin (p. 328 of British Evidence) states that in the Province 

 of Quebec only, the extent of the coast on which the fisheries of Canada 

 are conducted" is about 1,000 miles ; and Professor Hind (p. vii of his 

 valuable paper) estimates the area of coastal waters conceded to the 

 United States by the treaty to be about 11,900 square miles. Ameri- 

 cans have been in the habit of fishing all around the Bay of Fundy and 

 on the southeast coast of Nova Scotia, without counting the gulf; but 

 the bulk of the American fleet entered the gulf, principally by the Gut 

 of Canso, and also by going round Cape Breton, or by the Strait of Belle 

 Isle, coming from Newfoundland. We have a mass of evidence that 

 they were on all points at the same time and in large numbers. 



Babson, 20th American affidavit, estimates the American fleet at 750 

 sail ; Plumer, 22d American affidavit, estimates the American fleet at 

 700 sail; Pierce, 24th American affidavit, says from 700 to 800 sail; 

 Gerring, 2Gth American affidavit, says 700 sail ; Wonson, 30th Ameri- 

 can affidavit, says 700 sail ; Embree, 167th American affidavit, says 700 

 to 800 sail ; Grant, 186th American affidavit, says 700 sail. 



Bradley, the first American witness examined before the Commission, 

 in answer to the American counsel (p. 2) : 



Q. Give an approximate amount to the best of your judgment. A. 600 or TOO certainly. 

 I Lave been in the hay with 900 sail of American vessels, but the number rather diminished 

 along the last years I went there. Everything tended to drive them out of the bay. cutters, 

 aud one thing aud another, and finally I went fishing in our own waters aud did a good 

 deal better. 



Graham (p. 106 of American Evidence) undertakes to contradict Brad- 

 ley, but finally he has no better data than Bradley to guide himself, and 

 after all his efforts he admits the number to have been 600 sail. 



This was during the existence of the Reciprocity Treaty, and on this 

 point, as well as on all others, it is to that period that we must refer to 

 find analogy of circumstances. 



The average catch of these vessels presents naturally a great diversity 

 of appreciation, and on this, the causes which divided the witnesses 

 are more numerous than those concerning the number of vessels. First 

 the tonnage of the fishing-vessels, varying from 30 to 200 tons, must 

 have regulated the catch more or less. When a vessel had a full cargo, 

 nhe had to go home, even if fish had continued to swarm around her. 

 Then the most favored spots could not admit of the whole fleet at the 

 same time. They had to scatter over the whole fishing area with 

 fluctuations of luck and mishap. We must add to this that many of 

 the crews were composed of raw material, who had to obtain their edu- 

 cation and could not bring very large fares. Some naturalists have 

 expressed the opinion that fish are inexhaustible, aud that no amount 

 ot fishing can ever affect the quantity in any manner. When it is 



