15 



juring two of the crew and driving off the vessel, and in 

 another, while the master was ashore to buy bait, taking pos- 

 session of the vessel, heaving up her anchor and hoisting her 

 sails, when she narrowly escaped shipwreck, being saved from 

 the rocks only by the utmost exertions of her crew, who had 

 hid below, and her master, who seeing there was trouble-, had 

 returned ; the mob, becoming frightened at the danger of the- 

 vessel, had, in the meantime, left her to her fate. 



Many think that the American fishermen are always get- 

 ting the nation into trouble. How few know that the Nation it 

 is that is getting the fishermen into trouble. Right here let us 

 look at the matter, for it is a serious one to the nation, as well 

 as to this industry. 



Before the war of the Revolution, by the treaty of Paris in 

 1763, the fishermen of all the British colonies had " equal 

 rights " granted them with those of Great Britain to fish in 

 any waters except around a few islands reserved by the 

 French, and to land upon the shore for curing fish, drying nets, 

 etc. Then followed the Revolutionary war, when, by the treaty 

 of 1783, a division of the country was made with Great 

 Britain, and all the rights heretofore enjoyed by American 

 fishermen were continued to the fishermen of the United States 

 with slight and unimportant alterations. They had obtained 

 what they were entitled to, after seven long years of struggle, 

 viz.: Independence of, and equal rights with, Great Britain in 

 the sea fisheries of America. 



Then followed the war of 1812, by a declaration of war by 

 the United States, which declaration was claimed by the Eng- 

 lish, revoked all our rights and privileges to the inshore fish- 

 eries of the British provinces. The American Commissioners 

 denied that it had done so, and instead of having the point in 



