PERIOD FROM 1871 TO 1905. 933 



[Inclosure No. 4.] 



Mr. McLaren to Mr. Tilton. 



GEORGETOWN, PRIXCE EDWARD ISLAND, January 6, 1887. 



DEAR SIR: Yours of the 29th ultimo to hand. In reference to the 

 first part of the statement made by Captain Jacobs, I would say that 

 he may have been off Malpeque at the time the wreck occurred, but I 

 do not think he took the crew off; as, so far as I could learn at the 

 time, they came ashore in one of their own seine-boats and went first 

 to a Nova Scotia vessel and afterwards on board the Mollie Adams. 



On the morning after the wreck occurred I went on board the 

 Mollie Adams, and was immediately told by Captain Jacobs that he 

 had made all arrangements for the crew, and having secured a team, 

 was going with the captain of the Neskilita to the custom-house to 

 note a protest. As I could see by the conduct of both captains that 

 I was not wanted, I returned to my own vessel. Afterwards, in the 

 course of a conversation with the captain of the Neskilita, he in- 

 formed me that he had sailed out of Gloucester for some time, and in 

 the course of that time with Captain Jacobs. 



As to the statement that he could not get a boarding-house for his 

 crew, I think it is false, as the crew of one of the American vessels 

 wrecked about the same time had no difficulty in getting the people 

 to board them. Once while talking with Mr. McNutt, the collector 

 of customs at Malpeque, he mentioned that the captain of the Nes- 

 kilita had engaged to board at his place, and he expressed his sur- 

 prise that he was not coming. Both Captain Jacobs and the captain 

 of the Neskilita were committing a fraud in trying to get off with 

 the seine of the wrecked vessel, as it belonged to the underwriters; 

 and I think that it was the prospect of getting Captain Jacobs to get 

 away with the seine that prevented the captain of the Neskilita from 

 asking me for assistance. However, Captain Jacobs, on finding he 

 could not carry out his fraud, presented a claim of $10 for the salvage 

 of the seine and gear, which sum was paid him by Mr. Lemuel Poole, 

 Charlottetown, who was acting on behalf of the underwriters. It 

 may be possible that Captain Jacobs staid at Malpeque after I sailed, 

 but, if so, it was his own fault, as the crew of the Neskilita had gone 

 home before then. 



It is my opinion that Captain Jacobs need not have lost one hour 

 of time, for during the time the Neskilita 's crew were on board his 

 vessel the fleet, with the exception of one or two small vessels, was 

 anchored in Malpeque, and unable to put to sea owing to the heavy 

 sea on the bar. 



After the occurrence of the wreck, about the 20th September, Cap- 

 tain Jacobs cruised in the North Bay and on the Cape Breton coast, 

 and not until the 24th October was he reported as passing through 

 Canso bound home. 



As to the paying of the crew's passage home, I can say nothing, 

 except that if he did he did it voluntarily, as the captain of the 

 Neskilita could have sent his crew home without his assistance. 

 Yours, etc., 



WM. MCLAREN. 



