AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 2975 



By Mr. Trescot : 



Q. Whenever you give an order to a clerk to make such a report as 

 the one regarding the loss of vessels, you expect this to be done from 

 the custom house books and papers, and from nothing else ? A. Of 

 course. 



By Sir Alexander Gait : 



(). In the return concerning lost vessels, do the coasters include the 

 herring-fishing vessels ? A. No. The herring-fishing vessels all run 

 iiiuler fishing licenses, with permits to touch and trade; these are papers 

 issued from our office, allowing vessels to pursue any business under the 

 laws of the United States. The coasting paper and the fishing license 

 are different papers, confining, of course, those who run the vessels to 

 sail under them, and to do such business as is specified in these licenses. 



Q. Do vessels which take out fishing and trading licenses frequently 

 rl.iinge their business ? A. They cannot do so; they are not allowed to 

 do it ; they can only pursue the business for which they take out a 

 license. A permit to touch and trade is given only for one voyage. 



(}. Jf a vessel goes to Fortune Bay with a fishing license, and a touch 

 and trade license, and returns to Gloucester, can she go out again with- 

 out renewing her license to touch and trade f A. & fishing license is 

 given for one year; and a touch and trade license for a voyage; and at 

 the end of such voyage, the vessel surrenders that permit. This permit 

 is a peculiar paper, intended for that business only. 



Mr. FOSTER. Unless I have made some accidental omission, may' it 

 please the Commissioners, the case of the United States is now closed, 

 with the exception of the case just spoken of, to wit : I propose, if per- 

 mitted to put in, incase they come within a week, detailed reports from 

 the inspector-general of the State of Massachusetts, showing the number 

 of barrels of mackerel which, have been packed in the State of Massachu- 

 setts, during a long series of years, which I think may be valuable, going 

 back, in fact, I do not know how far. I understand that the fisheries 

 statistical books of the British provinces are in the case. 



Mr. THOMSON. Yes. 



Mr. FOSTER. That is all. 



