AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMI8HION. 2183 



Q. Have you been near it ? A. Not very near it. 1 know nothing 

 about it more than I could leap by the chart. 



Q. Now you say from 1852 to 1858 you were engaged in btumiwia at 

 Southport. Did you return to Gloucester f A. I commenced humunw 

 in Gloucester in January, 1858. 



Q. Have you remained in the fishing business up to thin time ? A. 

 With the exception of two years I have been actually ongagtx! in the 

 fishing business there. For two years I had a partial intre*t in .liil.-r- 

 eut vessels. I was not engaged directly. 



Q. Except these two years have you been an agent and manager of 

 vessels ? A. I have. 



Q. And engaged both in the cod and mackerel business ! A. Yea. 



Q. Now, I take that period from 1858 on, excepting the two yearn you 

 refer to. How have you fitted out your cod-fishers for Hank* aa to 

 bait ? A. When we fitted them out we put aboard some clams and VMM 

 pogies. 



Q. Are the pogies put on board fresh ? A. No ; raited. 



Q. When did you first know how many years ago of any of the 

 vessels going in either to some port in Nova Scotia or of Newfoundland 

 for fresh bait ? A. The Bankers ? I think it is not more than four yearn 

 since they went in to make a business of getting fresh bait. 



Q. Are there plenty of clams to be found on the American cnajit to 

 fit out your vessels ? A. Yes. 



Q. There is no difficulty ? A. No. 



Q. Have your Bankers for the last 12 or 15 years been trawler* or 

 hand-line fishers? A. They have been trawling 1 think about, well, 8 

 or 9 years. 



Q. Before they were hand-liners ? A. Yes. 



Q. Sir ALEXANDER GALT. Does he mean that they are now all trawl- 

 ers? 



By Mr. Dana : 



Q. Do you mean to say that the vessels yon are engaged in and hare 

 been for the last 8 or 10 years are all trawlers ? A. All we nend down 

 to the Banks. A good many vessels fish on the George*, and alwajs 

 fish over the rail. 



Q. But those you send to the Bank are all trawlers ' 



Q. Do you know whether for the last year many of your ve*s*U have 

 gone in for fresh bait as a practice ? A. Well, I think they have, al 

 all of them. 



Q. You have had about something like about four yeai 

 then, of that practice ? A. Yes ; about that. 



Q. Now, fresh bait is better than salt bait, is 

 catch ? A. Yes. 



Q. So that if two vessels are lying side by side ' 

 same circumstances, equally good fishermen, and all that, I* 

 or both trawlers, for the time being, the men using f 

 have the advantage ? A. Certainly. 



Q. Now I ask you a totally different question. Taking i 

 cial results for the whole season of two vessels under equs 

 cumstances in all other respects, one depending upon 

 foundland to get fresh bait as often as necessary, and t 

 out and usinf salt bait and such bait as she can get tl 

 the most profitable as to the commercial interest 

 You have had experience of both.-A. I think 

 in favor of the vessel that lay on the ground and kept 

 the salt bait. 



