AWARD OF THE FISHERY COMMISSION. 3283 



the inshore have been of very little value to those prosecuting them 

 either from the States or Newfoundland for the past four years. The 

 fishing by American fisherman in the Waters of the Provinces does not 

 lessen the catch of American or British fisherman ; and the presence 

 of American Fishermen in the Provincial Waters improves the Status 

 of the Provincial fisherman, who are much inferior to the American 

 fisherman, and are at least a century behind the age in the manner of 

 catching fish. If the British fishermen employed as much capital and 

 had as much energy and enterprise as the American Fisherman I believe 

 that the American Fishermen cannot compete on the Newfoundland 

 coast in catching fish. The only advantage derived by American Fish- 

 erman from the Treaty of Washington 1871, is the advantage of catch- 

 ing bait and obtaining ice which is also of great advantage to New- 

 foundlanders in the way of Traffic. 



WILLIAM MJLLOY 



Taken before me at Saint Johns Newfoundland this 1st day of June 

 A D 1877 



GEO H.Y EMERSON JB 



Examiner 

 No. 209. 



The examination of Levi Griffin of Boston United States of America but at 

 present of Saint John's Newfoundland taken before me George Henry 

 Emerson Jr Examiner 



This Witness being sworn, saith : 



I am a native of the State of Maine but at present am fishing in New- 

 foundland I am thirty four years of age, and have been engaged in the 

 fishery -business about twenty years. The American fisherman do not 

 use and have never used the inshore fisheries for cod fishing. There is 

 no mackerel fishing on the Coast of Newfoundland. There is no boat- 

 fishing done by Americans on the Coast of Newfoundland Even the 

 Bank fishing has become less lucrative and important within the past 

 ten years than it formerly was. To my knowledge there has been no 

 use made by the Americans of the privilege of lauding on the Coast of 

 Newfoundland for curing the fish, drying the nets, obtaining their 

 wood. There is no object whatever to be obtained by such lauding. 

 American fisherman generally purchase whatever they require from the 

 people of the Island. The value to all provincial fisherman especially 

 to Newfoundlanders cannot be too highly estimated (and will no doubt 

 be of greater value in the future) of their intercourse with Americans. 

 Every Fishing vessel that enters the ports of Newfoundland, belonging 

 to Americans leaves at least Eighty dollars. Nearly all the American 

 fisherman purchase ice, bait and stores and supplies in large quantities 

 in Newfoundland and this trade is increasing very largely every year. 

 I have repeatedly heard the fisherman of Newfoundland assert that it 

 was a great benefit to them to have constant intercourse with Americans 

 Thousands of Barrels of bait would pass the shores of Newfoundland 

 every year if the Americans did not come down to purchase them. This 

 trade with the fisherman of Newfoundland for bait and ice is of great 

 benefit to the Island and generally recognized to be so except by the 

 large Merchants of the Island. A great impetus has been given to the 

 fishing-business in Newfoundland since the passing of the Washington 

 Treaty 1871. The trade of Americans with Newfoundlanders has in- 

 creased at least One hundred per. cent, per annum, since the passing of 

 the Treaty and is steadily increasing with great advantage to all con- 



