2068 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



quintals. She carried 1,500 quintals into Newfoundland, taken with 

 salt clams and what bait she obtained from the fish. 



Q. Now, I notice on page 162 of the British Testimony an account of 

 an American banker, the Winona, from Provincetown, Do you know 

 anything about her ? A. I don't know anything about her any more 

 than that she was reported as doing slim. 



Q. Then I understand there is something about the Chanticleer; that 

 is one of your vessels ? A. Yes. 



Q. Did she go into Newfoundland for bait ? A. Not expressly. She 

 was disabled. She lost her boat's crew. 



Q. She went in in distress ? A. Yes. 



Q. And the vessel was left at Newfoundland, was it ? A. Yes. 



Q. There is another vessel, the Speedwell, said to be in. A. She 

 sprang a leak and went in. 



Q. Then the Chanticleer, your vessel, went in in consequence of being 

 disabled ? A. In consequence of the loss of the crew. What crew she 

 had left was not good for much. 



Q. Take the other vessels that are fishing for codfish on the Banks 

 this year. Is there any other"? A. Yes, there is a schooner, the Lizzie 

 W. Mattheson. She is hand-lining, and carried 120 barrels of clams. 

 She had 2,200 quintals on the 19th August. She is a large vessel of 

 240 tons. 



Q. How many would she take ? A. 4,000 quintals. 



Q. Then she expects a cargo of 4,000 quintals, if she makes a full 

 voyage ? A. Yes. 



Q. She has taken, you say, with salt clams, 2,200 quintals ? A. 

 2,200 to 2,400 on the 19th August. 



Q. Now, I will ask you whether you regard the opportunity of pur- 

 chasing bait in Newfoundland as a valuable one to your fishermen ? A. 

 It is not for me. 



Q. Suppose they were cut off from buying bait and the traffic was in- 

 terrupted, could they go and fish for bait in Newfoundland just as well, 

 or would that be worse than buying it ? A. I would not have them go 

 go in if they could. 



Q. What instructions do you give your captains with reference to go- 

 ing there ? A. Well, I instruct them in this way, that I should protest 

 their drafts if they sent any drafts from Newfoundland this year. Last 

 year they were in once or twice and never caught any fish. 



Q. And your experience has been that you make a less profitable voy- 

 age if they go to Newfoundland than if they remain fishing with salt 

 clams'? A. Certainly. 



Q. How long, on an average, has it taken your vessels to go to New- 

 foundland and return to the cod-fishing ground, when they have tried the 

 experiment ; how much has the fishing been interrupted ? A. It takes 

 an average of ten days. Last year the captain reported, when I talked 

 to him so strongly about not going in ; he told me the number of days, 

 and I think it was 4 days. But this year it is more immoderate weather, 

 and it will take longer. 



Q. You think, on the average of the whole, it will take them 10 days? 

 A. They would lose 10 days' fishing. 



Q. What other bait is procurable on the banks without going off the 

 fishing-grounds? A. They can get about half enough out of the fish. 



Q. Have you ever known codfish itself to be cut up for bait? A. I 

 had a vessel year before last that caught all in that way. 



Q. What vessel ? A. The Arthur Clifford. She was a trawler. 



