AWARD OF THE PISIIKUY COMMISSION. J J7 



fishing vessels, since I have known the gulf, have been lost at Prince 

 Edward Island. There were > several lost in 1873 at the Magdalen 

 Islands. 



Q. You were asked as to the efforts made by the different classes of 

 fishermen in New England in regard to obtaining the Reciprocity Treaty 

 and petitioning for the remission of the duty on fish. Do you happen 

 to know the ground taken by the fishermen of Massachusetts with 

 regard to the Washington Treaty some years after? A. No; I don't 

 know. 



Q. The general ground you took, when you went as a delegate, on the 

 question of the Beciprocity Treaty was, that yon were not willing to 

 have the cod-fishermen pay so much for so little good to the mark- 

 erelers? A. We were largely cod-fishermen, and we did not want to 

 pay for the mackereltnen fishing inshore ; it seemed like paying another 

 man's debts. 



Q. Are there any mackerel which go from the provinces to Province- 

 town, which would be reiuspected there? A. I never knew but one 

 cargo brought there, which was about four years ago. 



Q. With regard to the comparative profitableness of a eodtishing 

 voyage with hand-lines, and one with trawls to the Banks, do you ail- 

 here to the opinion that the more profitable voyages on the average are 

 those made with the hook and line? A. I think they have done the 

 best of late. I think that taking the tonnage of the hand-line fisher- 

 men, they will bring in more fish than the tonnage of the trawl-fisher- 

 men. 



By Mr. Whiteway : 



Q. In your speech made before the senate, before the Rhode Island 

 senate committee in 1870, you said, when speaking of squid, ''It seems 

 to be nearly exterminated in the waters north of Cape Cod, only a few 

 being seen." . Do you say that is the case now T A. That was the case 

 then, in 1870. 



Q. Is it the case now? A. Well, then they increased two or three 

 years and are now diminishing again. 



Q. It is the case now ? A. They are scarce now. I have stated here, 

 in the course of my remarks, that in 1867 I never saw one squid. What 

 does it say there? 



Q. You said, "It seems to be nearly exterminated in the waters north 

 of Cape Cod, only a few being seen." A. That does not say that they 

 had all gone. In some years there were nearly none. 



Q. Is that the case as regards squid at the pres-nt time! 

 There are some squid there now. Squid are not very plentiful, they art- 

 scarce comparatively. 



Q. Are they as scarce as they were in 1870? A. No; I don t 

 they are quite. 



Q. Do you say they are not? A. I think not ; I think there a 

 this summer than in 1870. 



Q. They are still scarce? A. Still scarce. 



By Mr. Davies : 



Q. With regard to your opinion that there were more hhipwrwl 

 American vessels at Prince Edward Island than at 

 will repeat a question which was put to you by Mr. 

 were asked whether you ever knew any American f 

 wrecked on Prince Edward Island except one, and yon 

 know any American fishing- vessels being shipwrecked 



