2254 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



glish fleet fished when you were in the bay ? A. They always fished 

 offshore. 



Q. And not inshore ? A. No ; during the whole year I was on Mar- 

 garee Island, I never had brought to my notice one English vessel which 

 fished inside of the three-mile limit or anywhere near there. In fact, 

 the whole American fleet never caught, I would venture to say, 100 bar- 

 rels of mackerel within the three-mile limit off Margaree Island, during 

 that whole year. 



Q. And the English fleet fished with them 1 A. Their vessels always 

 fished with our fleet during 1852 and 1853. There were quite a number 

 of vessels in that quarter from Lunenburg, &c. 



Q. Can you form any idea of what the number of vessels in the En- 

 glish fleet was, compared with the American fleet, when you had an oppor- 

 tunity of close personal observation ? A. Taking the whole English fleet 

 in the bay at the time, it numbered, perhaps, thirty sail; in my judg- 

 ment this was the case. 



Q. And these vessels fished with the American fleet outside of the 

 three-mile limit ? A. Yes. 



Q. And when you lived down on this coast, the American fleet did not 

 fish inside of the three-mile limit ? A. No; though we tried inshore all 

 round. 



By Mr. Davies : 



Q. You were only fishing in vessels ? A. Yes. 



Q. In 1852, 1853, and 1856 ; I suppose that you were in the war after- 

 ward? A. Yes; in 1861. 



Q. How long were you in the Army ? A. A little over three years. 



Q. You state that you were under the impression that mackerel-fish- 

 ing in the gulf had decreased of late years, and rather increased on 

 your own shore ? A. Yes. 



Q. Over what period of time would you like to make that statement 

 extend ? A. Say from 1867 or 1868, for about 10 years ; I will state 

 that positively. 



Q. You have examined statistics, I hope, before you have made this 

 statement ? A. I know all about it ; it is my business to mix myself up 

 in these matters. 



Q. What percentage of increase would you say there has been in the 

 fishing on the American coast during the period to which you allude, 

 since 1867 ? A. 1 think the increase there has more than corresponded 

 with the decrease in the bay. 



Q. Can you give an idea as to the percentage of the increase and de- 

 crease ? A. I could not. They fish with seines on our shore and get a 

 great amount of mackerel, and they cannot use these seines \p. the bay, 

 from what I have heard. 



Q. Suppose we leave out of present consideration the years 1875 

 and 1876, would you then state that the fishing from. 1867 to 1874 on 

 the American coast increased materially ? A,. I am not prepared to 

 answer that question. I never considered it, save as to the last ten 

 years. 



Q. Then I understand your answer to relate more especially to the 

 years 1875 and 1876 ? A. No. 



Q. Suppose that the years 1875 and 1876 are struck out from our con- 

 sideration altogether, would you then be prepared to state to the Com- 

 mission that the fishing along the American shore had materially in- 

 creased from 1867 to 1874? A. I think it did until this year, perhaps. 



Q. Materially ? A. I should think so. 



