2012 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



time you went on the delegation? A. In a very small minority. We 

 were mostly cod-fishers. 



Q. Now, during the Keciprocity Treaty ? A. I was going to say one 

 word. In 1866, that was when the Keciprocity Treaty was abrogated, 

 and that was the very year we had the biggest fleet of cod-fishing vessels 

 that we ever had. So that our mackerel fleet was comparatively small. 



Q. How many had you mackerel fishing in the bay? A. I don't 

 know. I could tell you, probably, if I was home. 



Q. You knew you were going to be a witness ? A. Yes ; but I did 

 know what you were going to ask me. 



Q. "Why did you take pains to show that in '66 you had ninety-one 

 vessels in the cod fishery, and keep us in the dark as to how many mack- 

 erellers you had ? A. I didn't know but they would ask me something 

 about the codfish, as it was an old cod-fishing town. 



Q. But didn't it strike you that they might put a number of questions 

 about the mackerel, too f A. I supposed I should take my own local 

 statistics from '70 down to the present time, and let the Cape Ann folks 

 answer questions as to their own fisheries. "We didn't have much to do 

 with it. It is a secondary thing with us, fishing for mackerel in the 

 bay. 



Q. Then, at that time it is obvious, is it not, that those who were 

 practically engaged in the mackerel fishery you yourself were not one 

 of those engaged or having any personal interest but those who were 

 personally interested in it were willing at all hazards and were desirous 

 of getting the liberty of fishing within three miles ? A. O, I think it 

 was desirable to a certain portion of the mackerel fishers. Don't you 

 see, if the mackerel fisherman could fish inshore it was an advantage to 

 him, and if the cod-fishermen had to pay for it that was nothing to him. 

 We are made of such material. 



Q. The mackerelmen are of the opinion that it is a great advantage f 

 A. I didn't say a " great advantage." They would like to fish inshore. 



Q. Didn't they think it was a great advantage ? A. I do not know. 

 We didn't have anything much to do with them. I think those that 

 went before the Committee of Congress thought it was a great advan- 

 tage ; but I don't know. 



Q. Didn't they put it themselves that they couldn't successfully carry 

 on the fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the mackerel fishery, unless 

 they had that right? A. I do not know what they did. 



Q. You were there before the committee? A. I was. At the same 

 time, I am here before the Commission ; but when they were before the 

 committee, I was not there. 



Q. Didn't you know what they stated! A. No. I have heard, by 

 the way, that they said that. 



Q. You have heard that they said they could not prosecute it success- 

 fully ? A. I heard by the way it was so. 



Q. You heard they said that they could not prosecute it successfully! 

 A. I heard that they said they would be willing to have the codfish 

 in free. 



Q. Didn't they say they couldn't carry on the mackerel fishery suc- 

 cessfully ! A. No, sir ; not to my knowledge. 



Q. You did not hear that said at all f A. No. 



Q. They never put that forward ? A. Never to my knowledge. 



Q. You never heard anything of that kind ? A. No, sir. 



Q. Did they really think it was any great practical use at all ? A. I 

 suppose they thought it was of use. 



Q. Did they think it was much use? A. I could not say for that. 



