224 



" a treasure which cannot be estimated too high, since with httle 

 *' labour, comparative!} speaking, enough could be obtained to feed 

 '' all Europe." pp. 312-313. 



" Since the trade with the United States has been so greatly ob- 

 '' structed, the produce of the fisheries in the British colonies, thus 

 *' encouraged by the removal of all competition, has been greatly 

 " augmented ; and nothing but a more extended population is re- 

 " quired to carry this valuable branch of trade almost to any given 

 *' extent. ^ ^ 



" It will be seen by a reference to the notes in the table annex- 

 '' ed to this chapter, that the inhabitants of the United States derive 

 " mcalculable advantages, and employ a vast number of men and 

 '' vessels in the fishery in the river St. Lawrence, and on the coast 

 '' of Nova Scotia, uMck exclusively belong to Great Britain. The 

 " dense population of the Northern States, and their local situation 

 *' in the vicinity of the most prolific fishing stations, have enabled 

 *' them to acquire vast wealth by the indulgence of this country." 

 p. 313. "^ 



" It ought ever to be kept in view, that (with the exception of the 

 " small islands of St. Pierre and Miguelon, restored to France by 

 '' the treaty of Paris, in May, 1814,) the whole of the most valua- 

 ^' l)le fisheries in North America exclusively belong at this present 

 *' time to the British crown, which gives to this country a monopoly 

 *' m all the markets in Europe and the West Indies, or a right to a 

 " certain valuable consideration from all foreign nations, to whom 

 " the British government may concede the privilege of carrying on 

 " a fishery in these seas.'- p. 314. ^ 



« Private fisheries are a source of great profit to the individuals. 



mthis and other countries, who have acquired a right to such 



fisheries. Why, therefore, should not the united kino-dom de- 

 " rive a similar advantage from the fisheries it possesses within the 

 " range of its exteasive territories in North America, (perhaps the 

 " richest and most prolific in the world,) by declaring every ship 



and vessel liable to confiscation which should presume to fish in 

 « those seas without previously paying a tonnage duty, and receiv 

 '* ing a license limited to a certain period when fish may be caught 



- with the privilege of curing such fish in the British'territories ? 

 '> AH nations to hcive an equal claim to such licenses, limited to cer' 

 " tain stations, but to permit none to supply the British WestJn 

 *' dies, except his majesty's subjects, whether resident in the coIo 

 " nies or in the parent state." p. 315. 



(E.) St. John''s or Prince Ed-ward''s Island. 



"Fisheries This island is of the highest importance to the 



united kingdom. W hether the possession of it be considered with 



- relation to the Americans, or as an acquisition of a great maritime 

 power, it is worthy of the most particular attention of govern- 

 ment Mr. Stewart has justly remarked, in his account of that 



- island, (page 296,) that « the fishery carried on, from the Am^ 



