AWARD OP THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 1853 



the years 1870 and 1871, when none were sent, by George Steele, ot 

 Gloucester, 107; average time employed yearly 4 months 13 days; 

 average number of hands employed yearly for 17 years 15." In regard 

 to that, I desire to call attention to the evidence on page 385, yoar honors 

 bearing in mind the fact that Mr. Dana put to Major Low the question 

 that he had examined the books for the purpose of giving a statement 

 which could not lie no guess-work, but absolute verity, so far as the 

 books were concerned. Mr. Davies on cross-examination elicited the fol- 

 lowing : 



Q. The owner would suffer no loss though -the charterer would. It seem* singular, doe* 

 it not? You say this is where a man charters a vessel! A. Yen. 



Q. In the first place, is George Steele a charterer of vessels? A. No. 



Q. Then this statement, which assumes to relate to George Steele'* business, a* hii name 

 is mentioned as the charterer of the vessel, does not represent an existing state of facU, but 

 is merely a theory which you put forth ? A. I supposed I had mentioned on the account 

 that it was an estimate. 



Q. That is the real fact, is it not? A. Yes. The real fact is that I made a mere estimate 

 in this regard. 



Now, that is a most extraordinary statement. 



Mr. FOSTER. In what regard f 



Mr. THOMSON. In regard to this, that Mr. Dana put forward Major 

 Low as a man who had examined the books of Gloucester merchants 

 for the purpose of getting an absolutely correct statement, and no gaeaw- 

 work, yet we find him coming forward with a deliberate piece of guess- 

 work. 



Mr. FOSTER. He made a statement from the books, and then made a 

 supposititious hypothetical case of one voyage to show what the result 

 would have been. 



Mr. THOMSON. At page 386, your honors still bearing in mind that 

 this was to be no imaginary matter, but absolutely made up from the 

 books, a number of questions are put by Mr. Davies : 



Q. How did you get these 13 or 14 trips ? A. I saw the trip-books. I asked Mr. St*l for 

 permission to show them to the Commission. 



Q. You then had the opportunity of examining his books ? A. Yes, as to his trip-books, 

 but not as to his ledger. 



Q. Did you ask for his ledger ? A. I did not. 



Q. I suppose if you had done so you would have obtained access to it? A. Probably I 

 should. 



Q. Therefore you do not know what his books show as to actual profit and 1 

 by him during this period ? A. I do not. 



Q. And the actual state of facts may be at variance with the theory you adrano 

 hardly think so. 



Q. Supposing that George Steele stands in the position you assume in tl 

 would be bankrupt beyond all redemption ? A. Yes. 



Q. You have proved him from theory to be bankrupt beyond all redemptic 

 he is a capitalist worth $45,000, which exhibits the dinVeuce between t 

 ment and the theory ? A. Yes, but he had capital when he went into tb*. buam 



Q. Do you state that he brought it in with him f A. One-half of it was made 

 making business. 



Q. Where was the other half made? A. T n the fishing-business, during 1 

 that is only $1,000 a year, and he ought to make that. 



Q. The actual loss on each vessel, for 107 vessels, you place at $ 



Q. Will you make that up and tell me for how much he ought to be a d 

 His loss would be $17,869. 



Q. And that is not consistent with the facts ; he is not a defaulter to that a 

 has made it up in other parts of his business, but as far as his vessela 

 probably lost that sum. 



Q. You did not get access to his profit and loss ledger ? A. >o. ? 



Q. That would show exactly how it is, and this is an imaginary c 

 could not make it up without the actual bills of expenses for his vessel*. J 

 already understood that this was imaginary. 



Now, this is the testimony that is given in answer to Mr, 

 request that the statement should be perfectly true. 



