2164 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



Q. How strong au opinion have you on that point ? A. My opinion 

 would be strong enough to induce me to give my captains express orders 

 not to go in for bait, which I have done a good many times. But they 

 go contrary to orders. 



Q. Do you think that the captains of the vessels are a little apt to pre- 

 fer running into port occasionally to standing out ? A. Yes, sir; they 

 are are very much in favor of going in. 



Q. You have drafts drawn upon you in consequence of those vessels 

 going in to Newfoundland f A. I have. 



Q. What are they entitled ? What are they said to be for "? A. Well, 

 a good many times when we have drafts come we haven't had any bills 

 accompanying them. Sometimes we let them go to protest. 



Q. Where there is no bill ! A. On account of not having a bill. 



Q. Where you have proceeded in compelling them to present bills what 

 do they generally stand for ? What do they say the money is spent for ? 

 A. Well, sometimes the men will be charged with some of the money 

 they draw for. The captains will advance the men some of the money, 

 but the larger portion of it falls on the vessel. 



Q. There are some little dues to pay, port charges, &c. ? A. Yes. 



Q. Now is the rest called bait ? A. Yes ; the money is for bait. 



Q. Do you know how much of that called bait is actually bait I A. 

 We have no way of knowing any more than to take their word for it. 



Q. Bait is the term under which this money is placed ? A. Yes. 



Q. Would you consider it an advantage or a disadvantage to the com- 

 mercial and pecuniary interest of all concerned, the master, crew, and 

 owners, to have them all prohibited from going in for fresh bait ? A. 

 If there was any authority to keep our vessels out, if the Canadian Gov- 

 ernment had any authority to keep all vessels out, I should be greatly 

 in favor of it ; I should be willing to let them take every vessel they 

 found within three miles of laud. 



Q. Now do the cod-fishers continue to do well ? You say those that 

 don't go in do better than those that do ? A. Yes. 



Q. You say those that don'c go in do best ? A. Yes. 



Q. Are they doing pretty well ? A. No ; they haven't been doing 

 what I call doing well. They don't get enough to pay expenses. 



Q. You include those that go into port I Do you mean only those ? 

 A. Well, all our yessels that go to the Grand Banks go in for bait now. 



Q. They are not doing well ? A. No. 



Q. You have a fixed opinion that it would be better for them not to 

 go in ? A. That is my opinion. 



Q. If you had the sole management and could make your captains do 

 as you wished, you would not have any doit ? A. No. 



Q. Now about the mackerel business. During the last five years what 

 has been the amount of the mackerel-fishing in the bay ! I do not mean 

 to ask you the exact amount, but has it been large or small compared with 

 past years in the town of Gloucester ? A. It has been very small com- 

 pared with other years. 



Q. How many mackerel- vessels do you suppose there were from Glou- 

 cester in the gulf 10 years ago. Have .you any notion ! A. I have not 

 any way of knowing, but I should judge that there were from Gloucester 

 perhaps near 200 sail of American vessels in the gulf. 



Q. How many are there now I A. This year there are more than there 

 have been for the past two years. I think this year there may be 50 or 

 60 sail. 



Q. How many were there two years preyious ? A. I don't think last 

 year there were more than 20 sail. 



