AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2595 



Q. The original census from which these statistics were obtained, 

 were prepared without any reference to this Tribunal ? A. Yes. 



Q. Have you ever made up any statistics relative to the shore and 

 gulf fisheries, showing the difference between the American shore fish- 

 ery and the Gulf of St. Lawrence fishery ? A. Yes, and the statement 

 is as follows : 



Number of fishing vessels in Gulf of St. Lawrence mackerel fishery and the American shore 



mackerel fishery. 



Barrels. 



1869. 194 vessels in gulf, average catch 209 barrels 40, 546 



151 vessels off shore, average catch 222 barrels 33, 552 



Mackerel caught by boats and some Eastern vessels packed in Glou- 

 cester , 19,028 



Mackerel inspected in Gloucester 93, 126 



1875. 58 vessels in gulf, average catch 191 barrels 11,078 



117 vessels American shore, average catch 409 barrels 47, 853 



58,931 



The average catch is based on the average catch of 84 vessels from 17 firms in 1869 ; 

 and 28 vessels in bay and 62 vessels off American shore from 20 firms in 1875. These 

 firms have done better than the rest. 



Q. You do not, I suppose, include in this statement any but vessels 

 it has nothing to do with boat-fishing ? A. No. 



Q. Will you state from what source you have made up these statis- 

 tics! A. The information concerning the vessels which fished in the 

 gulf, and those which fished off our shore, I obtained and tabulated for 

 the information of Gloucester when I was town clerk, in 1869, and the 

 report for 1875 was procured for Centennial purposes not by myself, 

 but by some one who did bis work well. 



Q. Can you say, as a matter of belief, that these statistics were made 

 up for Centennial purposes and not with reference to this Tribunal? 

 A. Yes ; I believe that is the case. 



Q. From what sources were those for 1875, for instance, taken ? A. 

 The catch was taken from the reports of the number of firms I men- 

 tioned. 



Q. To how many firms do you refer? A. These include the most suc- 

 cessful firms, George Steele, &c. 



' Q. Those are the firms that had been the most successful, whether on 

 our shore or in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; which are considered to be 

 the most successful firms in Gloucester? A. George Steele, Leigh ton & 

 Co., Dennis & Ayer, and Smith & Gott. 



Q. These are generally considered to be the most successful firms T A. 

 Yes. 



Q. Were they all included in this return? A. Yes. 



Q. The tonnage of the vessels was somewhat larger in 1875 than it 

 was in 1869 f A. I think not. I think it was about the same. 



Q. In order that the Commission may understand whether these 

 Gloucester merchants, when making their statements here, are guessing 

 at what they say, or have absolute data to go upon and know what they 

 are about, you have, at our request, made an examination of. the books 

 of one of the firms? A. I have examined the books of the most suc- 

 cessful firm engaged in the bay mackerel fishery. 



Q. That is the firm of Mr. Steele ? A. Yes. I did this of my own 

 accord, because I wanted the Commission to see how these books are 

 kept 



