146 The Frederick G erring, Jr. 



The mackerel which were on board they let spoil, by not tak- 

 ing care of them, and sold them for four dollars a barrel when they 

 were rusty, which if they were taken care of would have brought 

 Thirteen dollars the same day. Her string of cable was even left 

 lay on the deck and of course that is spoilt. When the vessel was 

 taken, her and her fishing gear, fish and stores were worth Eight 

 Thousand Dollars and now the whole thing isn't worth anything. 



There is a very important question in this case "What con- 

 sists of a Headland?" I could not get the Canadian Authorities 

 to take any notice of that, and I think that the American Govern- 

 ment had Ought to look into this and see what consists of a Head- 

 land. 



I am going to send you the chart that was in the Canadian 

 Court with the positions the two Canadian Captains said the vessel 

 was in. Capt. MacKenzie of the Cruiser Vigilant said she was 

 over ZYz miles from Gull Ledge. His is the outside position. 

 Capt. Knowlton of the Aberdeen who seized the vessel said she was 

 1% miles from Gull Ledge. His is the inside marks. 



Now this Gull Ledge is claimed to be 30 feet high, but all the 

 people who live on the coast say the sea breaks over it continually 

 in rough weather. The nearest land to where Knowlton says the 

 vessel was, is Barren Island, which is a little over 3 miles away, 

 which you will see on the chart. I don't think it would be any use 

 to send Mr. Sherman this chart as probably it would never be 

 looked at. You are used to the water and whenever you look at it 

 you will understand the positions. 



Now here is where my Captain wanted to measure the dis- 

 tance, and asked the Captain of the cruiser to tow his log to Gull 

 Ledge to see if he was not three miles away, which he would not do 

 saying he would run his steamer ashore. My Captain said "Take 

 my seine-boat, my men and your mate with my log, or yours, or 

 both of them, and measure the distance for I am sure I am 3 miles 

 away from that ledge," which he would not do. 



When he went to tow the vessel into Liscomb Harbor the Cap- 

 tain went to put his log out, but the Captain of the cruiser told his 

 mate not to let him do it. 



Capt. Knowlton, of the Aberdeen, said that he took the cross- 

 bearings of the position the vessel was in and laid it down on the 



