168 The Frederick G erring, Jr. 



Under these circumstances, the Department begs to suggest 

 that a survey of the vessel be had by the nearest United States 

 Consul, jointly with a representative of the Dominion Govern- 

 ment, in order to ascertain the present condition of the vessel. 

 I have the honor to be, etc., etc., etc., 



J. B. Moore, 

 Acting Secretary. 



EXHIBIT 23. 



Edzuard Morris to the Secretary of State. 



Gloucester, Mass., March 2, i8pp. 

 Hon. John Hay, 



Washington, D. C. 

 Dear Sir: — 



I send you a chart with the position laid down on it where 

 the Schooner Frederick Gerring, Jr., was fishing when seized, 

 which by the courses and cross-bearings taken by Captain Mc- 

 Kenzie of the cruiser Vigilant at the time, gives the position 

 of the Gerring a good half mile outside of the three mile limit. 

 Both Canadian captains claimed the wind was east south-east and 

 the tide running west by south, and the vessel heading south 

 south-west with the booms guyed well out on the starboard side. 

 The vessel would have to make a little headway so the seine would 

 not swing around the bow. You can see for yourself how utterly 

 impossible it was for the vessel to drift stern-foremost across the 

 wind and tide, towards the shore. Captain Knowlton, of the 

 cruiser Aberdeen, who seized the Gerring, claimed she was 

 only a mile and three-quarters from Gull Ledge. According to 

 his statement she would have to drift, across the wind and tide, 

 a mile and three-fourths in an hour, and any seaman would know 

 that this would be impossible under those circumstances. Captain 

 Jacobs of the American schooner Ethel B. Jacobs took the cross- 

 bearings at the same time, and he claims she was three-fourths of 

 a mile outside of the three mile limit. Chief Justice Strong, one 

 of the ablest judges Canada ever had, now in the Privy Council 



