AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2651 



ing the difference between tbe American shore and the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence fisheries ? A. Yes. 



Q. Do you think that this was a fair statement ? A. A fair state- 

 meat? 



Q. Yes. A. Why not ? 



Q. The counsel asked you if you had ever in tide up statistics relative 

 to the shore and gulf fisheries, showing the difference between the 

 American shore fishery and the Gulf of St. Lawrence fishery, and your 

 answer was: "Yes; the statement is as follows." Did you intend to 

 file this statement as a fair statement, showing the relative difference 

 between these two fisheries ? A. I explained what I meant right un- 

 derneath, when I said : 



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

 and 28 vessels iu the bay, and 64 vessels off American shore, from 20 firms in 1H73. 

 These tiruis have done better than the rest. 



Q. Was it your intention to show the relative cartches made in these 

 two fisheries ? A. During these two periods ; yes. 



Q. Did you intend that these periods should be taken as a fair repre- 

 sentation of the catches usually made in these two fisheries? A. Those 

 were the actual catches made for those years by Gloucester vessels. 



Q. I only want to know whether you intended that the Commission 

 should draw from this statement the inference that it represented fairly 

 the relative values of these two fisheries ? A. I so intended it for those 

 years. 



Q. But did you so intend it for any other years? A. No, I do not 

 know anything about any other years than those in this relation. 



Q. Did you never make up the catches for any other years save those ? 

 A. No; those were the only years for which I ascertained the number 

 of vessels which had been fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off' 

 the American shore. 



Q. How was it that you came to ascertain this for those years ? A. 

 It was because in 1869 I was town clerk, and I then ascertained it for 

 the information of the people of Gloucester; and in 1875 I obtained 

 this information for Centennial purposes. 



Q. You do not pretend to say that it shows anything like a fair repre- 

 sentation of the relative values of the two fisheries ? A. No, save for 

 those years. 1 show the number of barrels that was caught in that 

 period iu these two fisheries. 



Q. Is this result not directly opposite to the result shown by an ex- 

 amination of.the catches of Mr. Steele's vessels ? A. I do not consider 

 ~that the catches of Mr. Steele's vessels .show a>fair criterion iu this re- 

 spect. 



Q. But what is the actual result you show in this statement that 

 your shore fishery is very much better than the Giilf of St. L.iwrence 

 fishery for the two years 18G9 and 1875 ? A. Yes. 



Q. Now taking the whole number of years that Mr. Slteelo was en- 

 gaged iu the Gulf of St. Lawrence fisheries, is not the result directly 

 opposite to the result you have shown iu this statement? A. I know 

 lhat it is. 



< k >. Then you did not intend that this statement should be taken by 

 the Commission as a fair representation of the general value of these 

 two fisheries ? A. Yes, I did. 



Q. For those two years ? A. Yes. 



<J. But nothing more ? A.. Nothing more. 



Q. And this is directly opposite to the general result shown by the 



