2084 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. Did she have a license? A. She did. 



Q. What was her name ? A. The Benjamin F. Rich. 



Q. Her captain's name ? A. John B . 



Q. You paid for the license? A. Yes. 



Q. How many fish did she catch ? A. One hundred and seventy 

 barrels. 



Q. Have you had a mackerel- vessel in the gulf since ? A. I think 

 not; not of my remembrance. 



Q. How many vessels have you on the Grand Banks for cod ? A. This 

 season ? 



Q. Yes, generally, for the past few years ? A. A fleet of five or seven 

 usually. 



Q. For what number of years have you had them ? A. Well, I should 

 think I have averaged that number for the last fifteen years. 



Q. Now, how long is it since any of your vessels began to go to New- 

 foundland to obtain bait? A. I think perhaps two or three years. 



Q. Take the year 1875 ; did any of them go then ? A. That is year 

 before last. I have no remembrance of any then. Possibly they might. 



Q. When first? A. I remember 1876, and also this year. 



Q. How many of your vessels went in 1876 ? A. Three. 



Q. How many did you have in 1876 codfishing on the Banks ? A. 

 Five. 



Q. Then three went for bait, and two did not. What was the average 

 cost to you for bait? A. The average cost last year, if I remember 

 right, was $125 a vessel. 



Q. How many vessels have you this year on the Banks ? A. I have 

 five. 



Q. Have any of them been in for bait? A. All have been in this 

 year. 



Q. What has it cost you ? A. Those that have been in but once, if I 

 remember right, the drafts have been $125 a vessel. Those that have 

 been twice, the drafts I think have been $170 or $180. 



Q. Now take last year, the year three of your vessels went in, and 

 two did not ; which made the most profitable trips, those that went to 

 buy bait, or those that did not ? A. It is rather difficult to tell last 

 year. They didn't any of them do very much. I think we hadn't a 

 vessel, or we had but one that got a full fare. There was one that 

 didn't go in and didn't get a full fare. 



Q. Those that went in didn't get full fares ? A. No. 



Q. Do you regard it as beneficial for your vessels to go to Newfound- 

 land to get bait ? A. No ; I do not. 



Q. Now, suppose that instead of buying bait there they had to catch 

 it themselves, would it then be any benefit? A. My impression is it 

 would not. 



Q. Well, explain your reasons for thinking so in addition to your own 

 experience ? A. I think it would require too much time to get it. 



Q. Do you know the opinion of the vessel owners of Provincetown, 

 ani the outfitters, in regard to this? A. I think I do. The general 

 opinion is that it is not well for our vessels to go in for that bait. 



Q. You have have given one reason that too much time is lost. Is 

 there any other? A. There is the expense to be taken into considera- 

 tion, also, and the risk. 



Q. Do you insure your vessels ? A. No ; our concern does not. 



Q. You underwrite for yourselves ? A. Yes. 



Q. You say that within the last ten years you have had but one ves- 

 sel go into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence for mackerel. During that time 



