2916 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



ing from Gloucester; did they return to the island to any extent and 

 engage in fishing? A. Well, that is a difficult question to answer. 

 Many of our men come during the summer and return home in the au- 

 tumn from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and all parts of British 

 North America ; and they may return and they may not. Many of them 

 do return, and some of them take up their permanent residence with 

 us. A large portion of our fishing people are from the provinces. 



Q. What was the effect of the termination, of the expiration of the 

 Reciprocity Treaty which took place in 186G, on the fishing interest of 

 Prince Edward Island, this being followed by the restoration of the $2 

 a barrel duty? A. I have not had very much personal knowledge of 

 the fishing about the island since. 



Q. Since you withdrew from it? A. Yes. My last experience there 

 was previous to that, in the boat-fishing. My experience in boat-fishing 

 was in 1862 and 1863, and principally, I think, in 1862. 



Q. But you have remained, engaging in other business ? A. I have 

 for a portion of the time, up to the last three or four years, and I am 

 still engaged in it somewhat. I have not been very largely so engaged, 

 personally, but I send vessels there occasionally. I am consequently 

 hardly competent to give an opinion on that subject. 

 By Mr. Weatherbe : 



Q. In 1860 I think you said you were engaged in the boat-fishing on 

 the island ? A. I think it was in 1862. 



Q. In 1862 you went down and took charge of a stage where a person 

 had been drowned ? A. Yes; that was my first experience in the boat- 

 fishery. 



Q. I think you sent a vessel there with seines and boats in 1860? A. 

 Yes. 



Q. You stated that the captain did not then give that fishing a fair 

 trial? A. I think so. I consider that he did not. I requested him to 

 remain there until I met him myself, and I started home to make ar- 

 rangements, but he meanwhile went away. His excuse was that he 

 could not find any fish there, and hence he abandoned the voyage ; but 

 I think myself that he did so too soon ; I was not quite satisfied with 

 his conduct. 



Q. Previous to that you had not engaged in the boat-fishery at all? 

 A. No; I had, however, been there, and my attention having been 

 called to it, I thought it might be profitable ; hence I fitted out that 

 vessel. 



Q. You thought you would have been successful ? A. I thought I 

 was warranted in the undertaking. 



Q. But previous to that, during the 3 preceding years, you had 3 ves- 

 sels engaged in the vessel mackerel fishery ? A. Yes. 



Q. And they were not very successful ? A. They were not. I gave 

 the result of their trips. 



Q. Generally speaking, they were not successful? A. Two of them 

 made very fair voyages ; but one, to which I refer particularly, in 1858, 

 did not do so. 



Q. The one which was not successful made her voyage in 1858 ? A. 

 Yes; she got some 47 barrels ; and the one which, in 1860, went to the 

 island with the boats, only got a few fish. 



Q. I think you said that the vessel which was not very successful in 

 1858, from information that you got, fished outside of the three-mile 

 limit? A. I am not aware of having made any such statement in con- 

 nection with those voyages. 



Q. Are you able to say now from information you received whether 



