926 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



no assistance, and that no one on shore would take the wrecked men 

 unless he became responsible for the payment of their board. 



The collector at Malpeque in his report says that early on the morn- 

 ing after the wreck, so soon as the news reached him he repaired to 

 the harbor to see what assistance could be given ; that he then met the 

 captain of the Neskilita in company with Captain Jacobs, and was 

 told by the latter that the crew of the wrecked vessel were comfortably 

 cared for on his vessel, and that nothing more could be done. 



Captain McLaren, of the Critic, says that he at once visited the 

 Mollie Adams and was told by Captain Jacobs that " he had made all 

 arrangements for the crew." 



The collector and Captain McLaren agree in stating from informa- 

 tion gathered by them that the crew of the wrecked vessel came to 

 shore in their own boat unassisted, and after boarding a Nova Scotia 

 vessel were invited by Captain Jacobs, with whom the captain of the 

 Neskilita had beforetime sailed out of Gloucester, to go on board the 

 Mollie Adams. 



The collector was asked by the captain of the Neskilita if he would 

 assist himself and crew to their homes, and answered that he could not 

 unless assured that they themselves were without means for that 

 purpose, in which case he would have to telegraph to Ottawa for in- 

 structions. The captain of the Neskilita made no further application. 



The minister observes that it is the practice of the Dominion Gov- 

 ernment to assist shipwrecked and destitute sailors, in certain cases 

 of great hardship, to their destination or homes, but in all cases it 

 must be clear that they are destitute, and the application for assist- 

 ance must be made to Ottawa through the collector of customs. Had 

 such an application been made by the captain of the Neskilita it would 

 have received due consideration. 



In answer to the charge that board could not be obtained for the 

 wrecked crew, it is stated by Captain McLaren that the crew of a 

 United States vessel wrecked about the same time found no difficulty 

 in getting board and that the captain of the Neskilita had himself 

 arranged to board with the collector, who expressed surprise at his 

 failing to come. 



Captain Jacobs complains that he was not allowed to land from his 

 vessel the material saved from the wreck. To this charge the col- 

 lector replies that he received no intimation of any wrecked material 

 except the crew's luggage being on board the Mollie Adams, and 

 Captain Jacobs made no request to him regarding the landing of 

 wrecked material, and that he (the collector) gave all assistance in 

 his power to the captain of the Neskilita in saving material from the 

 wreck. 



It was subsequently discovered that Captain Jacobs had on board 

 the Mollie Adams a seine from the wrecked vessel belonging to the 

 underwriters, for taking care of which, when obliged to give it up, 

 Captain Jacobs claimed and was paid the sum of $10. 



Captain Jacobs states that he was put to a loss of ten days' fishing 

 by his detention with the Neskilita. The reports of both the collector 

 and Captain McLaren agree in giving a very different and sufficient 

 reason, viz, very bad weather and consequent inability to fish, a disa- 

 bility experienced by the whole fishing fleet at that time anchored in 

 Malpeque. 



