3064 AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 



are those rights, and what do you estimate them to be worth annually, 

 in the aggregate ? We never dry nets or cure fish on their shores that 

 idea applied when the fisheries were carried on insmall boats The right 

 to transship cargoes to buy or sell is a right which every American Ves- 

 sel has in English ports, as English Vessels have in American ports The 

 Dominion Govt under the clause in their law (of preparing to fish) in- 

 cluded every transaction of a commercial nature and perpetrated out- 

 rage after outrage on American Vessels. The American fishermen have 

 never accepted the character of outlaws accorded them and claim equal- 

 ity before the law with other citizens engaged in. marine business. 



^30. Is not the Treaty of Washington, so far as the fishing clauses are 

 concerned, more, or quite as, beneficial to the people of the British 

 North American Provinces as to the people of the United States ! 

 Where we shall receive one dollar's benefit they will receive 20 the only 

 matter they have for sale is courtesy 



31. What is the amount and value of colonial cargoes of fish of all de- 

 scriptions which are annually shipped to the United States ? See Vol- 

 ume III 9th Census U States. 



32. For all No. 1 and No. 2 mackerel, for the larger part of the fat her- 

 ring, and for all No. 1 salmon, does not the United States afford the 

 only market ? Yes. Without the markets of the U States the entire 

 fishery of the Dominion would be valueless, except for home consump- 

 tion 



33. If you know what amount of duties is annually paid to the United 

 States on fish and fish-oil imported from Canada, which are to be made 

 free under the provisions of the Treaty of Washington, please state 

 them annually, and by classes, from 1854 to 1872, inclusive. See Vol- 

 ume III 9th Census U States 



34. If you know what amount of duties is annually paid in Canada 

 on fish and fish-oil imported from the United States, which are to be 

 made free under the provisions of the said Treaty, please state them an- 

 nually, and by classes, from 1854 to 1872, inclusive. Canadian Statis- 

 tics will show this. 



35. The object of these inquiries is to ascertain whether the rights in 

 respect of fishing, and fishermen, and fish, which were granted to Great 

 Britain by the Treaty of Washington, are or are not a just equivalent 

 for the rights in those respects which were granted by said Treaty to 

 the United States. If you know anything bearing upon this subject 

 which you have not already stated in reply to previous questions, please 

 state it as fully as if you had been specially inquired of in respect of it. 

 Our vessels after the repeal of the Reciprocity Treaty paid a License 

 fee of 50 cts per Ton. This was the valuation placed upon the inshore 

 fisheries by the Dominion Govt. We paid this more to escape annoy- 

 ance and capture on the slightest pretext and for the freedom of the*ir 

 ports, than for the value of the fish, When it was increased to one and 

 afterward 2 Dollars per Ton our vessels could not afford to pay it and 



t was universally repudiated, The Revenue derived could not have 

 been over 10,000 Dollars and with all the advantages of free ports, free- 

 dom from capture and annoyance, we considered the price of this fishery 

 too high and the Dominion failed to obtain Customers Then followed 

 the repeal of the license system and the inauguration of a policy which 

 in its details we consider little better than Piracy. The value of the 

 Dominion Fisheries depend entirely on the action of the U States Govt, 



t admitted to free Markets in the United States their fisheries become 



prosperous, and as they gain, our fishermen must lose, Without the 



irketa of the United States their fisheries are valueless except for 



