AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1773 



Low, unknowingly, I think, because be put li is hand in the wrong pocket 

 at the time and drew out a statement prepared for the Centennial, show- 

 ing that our mackerel, which had been described as being of such infe- 

 rior quality, netted 50 per cent, uiore than the American mackerel in 

 the market. 



The valuation which this Commission is called upon to make of the 

 respective advantages resulting from the treaty can hardly be bused on 

 an arithmetical appreciation of the quantity of tish caught by Americans 

 in the three-mile limit, although the evidence given on this point can- 

 not but assist the Commissioners in forming their opinion. No tribunal 

 of arbitration probably ever had to deal with such variable and uncer- 

 tain elements; and if the Commission were left without anything to 

 guide them towards a port of refuge, they would be left on a sea of 

 vagueness as to amount. Fortunately they will find in the case an 

 anchor, something of a definite character to guide them. During the 

 Conferences of the Joint High Commission, the representatives of the 

 United States offered to add to fish and fish-oil, as additional compen- 

 sation, the admission, free of duty, of coal, salt, and lumber. The annual 

 value of the duty on these articles in the United States, taking an aver- 

 age of the period from 1864 to 1875, would be : 



Value. Duty. 



Coal 773, 645 190,888 



Salt 91,774 46, Irti 



Timber and lumber 7,345,394 1.083.W 



1,330,677 



Which gives for the twelve years of the treaty the sum of $15,848,125 

 The annual value of the duties in Canada on these articles, taking au 

 average of the same period, would be : 



Value. Only. 



Coal.. $1,196,469 $r!,49l 



Salt 9-2,33-2 24* 



Timber and lumber 500, 08T> 



15,613 



American duties $15, ^'^ '^ 



Canadian do 187,356 



The balance in favor of Canada would therefore be !"> 660,768 



If the matter had been settled on that basis, it does not mean that 

 Canada would have received $15,600,708 as a direct compensation paid 

 into her Treasury, but according to the theory adopted by American 

 statesmen it would have to cost that sum to have acquired those fishing 

 privileges. 



In the estimation of the evidence adduced on both sides,- 1 admit that 

 there is apparently a conflict of views and facts; but when weighed in 

 the scales of an expert, by a judge or lawyer accustomed to winnow th 

 chaff from the grain, the discrepancies would turn out more fictitious 

 than real. We have built by a mass of witnesses and documents unas- 

 sailable, the foundations of our claim. In many instances we have 

 tained from American writers, reports, and witnesses, the ooufirmatu 

 of that substantial part of our case which consists in the value ol 

 fisheries, both to our people and for the American nation, 

 portion of our evidence, consisting in the affidavits, has been li 

 tained by the oral evidence. Generally our witnesses have been s< 

 among citizens, whose station in life and well-established 

 gave moral authority to their statements; and we could challt 



