1064 MISCELLANEOUS. 



cause of the great depression of the fisheries of that period, than by 

 giving an extract from the evidence before the House of Commons 

 in 1817. 



George Garland, Esq. states to the Committee, (Michael Angelo 

 Taylor, Esq., in the chair) That 



'Another cause of the distress of trade may be found in the sur- 

 render by our Government, to France, by the late treaty, of a large 

 part of the coast of Newfoundland, which is by far the most favour- 

 able part of the whole Island for the prosecution of the fishery, and 

 to which, in consequence of the general scarcity of fish about St. 

 John's and in Conception Bay, the inhabitants of those districts, the 

 most populous in the Island, were wont annually to resort during 

 the whole of the fishing season, though at a distance of 200 or 300 

 miles. Since the cession of the French Shore, the British fishermen 

 of the said districts, confined to their own coast, have not caught 

 above half the quantity of fish which they formerly did with the same 

 outfit. The merchants urgently requested the Government, previous 

 to the peace, to retain this valuable part of the island, and though 

 we do not presume to question the expediency of the sacrifice which 

 has been made of their individual interests for the promotion of 

 national objects, yet I would submit that it strengthens their claim 

 to reasonable relief ; and lastly, but by no means least, another cause 

 is to be found in the growing competition of the French Newfound- 

 land trade, which is fostered by its Government with the most anxious 

 solicitude, freed from duties either on its ships or produce, and 

 encouraged by enormous bounties on its produce, and on the men 

 engaged in the trade, as will appear by a document which I beg to 

 produce. 



"FRENCH BOUNTIES ON THEIR NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERIES." 



" On Fish exported from Newfoundland, or from France to the 

 French Colonies, 24 francs per pelletrical, which is equal to 12 

 francs or 10 shillings per English quintal of 112 Ibs. 



" On fish exported from Newfoundland to France, and from thence 

 to Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Levant Ports, 12 francs per met- 

 rical quintral, which is equal to six francs or five shillings per English 

 quintal of 112 Ibs. 



" On fish exported from Newfoundland to Italy, Spain and Portu- 

 gal, direct, 10 francs per metrical quintal, which is equal to five francs 

 or four shillings and two pence per English quintal of 112 Ibs. 



" On every killogramme of oil exported from Newfoundland to 

 France ten centimes, which is equal to 75 shillings per ton of 256 

 gallons English. 



" Of every killogramme of cods' roes and eggs, from Newfoundland 

 to France, 20 centimes, which is equal to 8s. 4d. per English quintal 

 or cwt. Besides the above a bounty of 50 francs or 41s. 8d., per man, 

 is allowed to the French merchants for every man and boy employed 

 in the French shore fishery, and 15 francs or 12s. 6d. for every man 

 and boy employed in the French Bank fishery sailing annually from 

 the French ports. 



" This competition has already excluded us from the French 

 markets, where in the year 1815 we disposed of 100.000 quintals of 

 fish ; it has met us in the markets of Spain and Italy, although, in a 



