PERIOD FROM 1871 TO 1905. 645 



The facts stated are that, on the 7th of June last, the Lizzie A. Tarr, 

 being bound on a fishing voyage to the Banks, entered Lambley Har- 

 bor, Grand Jarvis, Newfoundland, to buy bait. She was boarded by 

 a boat from the British war steamer Danae, and was ordered to leave, 

 and refused the privilege of purchasing fresh bait. Captain Murphy 

 inquired as to the authority of such action, but got no reply. He 

 avers that when the British officers tripped the seine then in the hands 

 of English fishermen, and let out the herring, so that no bait could be 

 sold, saying to the fishermen, " What are you doing? If I catch you 

 selling bait to Yankees I will cut up your seine. Where are you to 

 get bread next winter?" Captain Murphy then left the harbor, but as 

 the wind began to blow and rain commenced, he went back for shelter. 

 A boat from the Danae was lying in wait for him. The officers came 

 on board and showed him a written order from the captain to seize 

 the Lizzie A. Tarr, against which Murphy protested, claiming the 

 right of shelter, but was required to agree in writing to go out at day- 

 light. Murphy declares that this action caused a delay of three weeks, 

 and a loss to all concerned of not less than $2,000. 



I would be glad if you would bring the case to the attention of the 

 proper authorities, with a view to the adoption of a more friendly and 

 hospitable treatment of our fishermen, if such conduct shall prove to 

 have been manifested as is reported by Captain Murphy. 

 Faithfully, yours, 



J. C. B. DAVIS, 

 Acting Secretary. 



Mr. Evarts to Mr. Welsh. 



No. 33.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 



Washington, March 2, 1878. 



SIR: Complaints have reached the department of serious interfer- 

 ence with American fishermen engaged during the present season in 

 the herring fishery on the coast of Newfoundland, especially in the 

 neighborhood of Long Harbor. The complaints come through vari- 

 ous sources; first, from the United States consuls in that province; 

 the consuls confining themselves, however, to general statements, 

 based on representations made to them by fishermen immediately 

 affected at the time of the occurrences, which form the grounds of 

 complaints. Still more recently, however, these complaints have been 

 preferred in a more specific manner, supported by affidavits of the 

 masters of several fishing vessels owned and fitted out at Gloucester, 

 Mass. From these statements it appears that about the 6th of Jan- 

 uary last no less than eight schooners from the above-named port, 

 while engaged in the herring fishery at and in the neighborhood of 

 Long Harbor, were attacked by the inhabitants to the number in one 

 instance of 60 men, and in another 200 or more, and their seines, 

 which were set and in most cases full of fish, cut and destroyed, and 

 the fish, in one case to the amount of 5,000 barrels, and in others only 

 less in quantity and value, scattered and run out to sea, resulting, 

 beside the great loss of property, in the vessels being obliged to return 

 to their home port in ballast, and also to abandon their fishing enter- 

 prise for the season. 



