MISCELLANEOUS. 1079 



[Inclosure.] 



Statements of the Masters of Four American Fishing Vessels, touch- 

 ing the information received by them from the Commanders of 

 the Provincial Vessels Halifax and Responsible, respecting the 

 limits within which they were allowed to fish. 



1. R. W. Armistead, Master of the United States schooner Ange- 

 nora, of Frankfort, states about the 27th of July, he went on board 

 the Responsible, and was informed by her Commander, that if he 

 found him fishing within three marine miles of a line drawn from 

 Cape Gaspe to North Point of Prince Edward's he would seize his 

 vessel. 



2. Stephen Morey, master of the U. S. schooner R. Roster, of Deer 

 Island, stated that he went on board " Halifax " laying in McNair's 

 Cove, Gut of Canso, about the 23rd of July, and was informed by 

 the Commander of that vessel, that his orders were to draw a line 

 from Port Hood to the East Point of P. E. Island, thence to the 

 North Point of P. E. Island, thence to Birch Point on Mission Island, 

 and that he would seize any vesels that he found fishing within three 

 marine miles of that line. 



3. William Page, Master of the U. S. schooner Paragon, of New- 

 buryport, stated to Mr. Sutton, that on or about the 23rd of July he 

 was informed by the Commander of the Schr. Responsible that he 

 should draw a line from headland to headland on any part of the 

 coast of Nova Scotia, and seize any vessel that he found fishing 

 within three marine miles of such a line. 



4. Stephen Randall, Master of the U. S. Schr. Montezuma, states 

 that on or about 20th July, whilst laying in Pirates Cove, Gut of 

 Canso, he met the Master of the Halifax, (James Laybold), who 

 informed him that he was not allowed to fish within three marine 

 miles of a line drawn from the North Cape to Cape Gaspe, and that 

 he would seize his vessel if he found him fishing within that distance 

 of that line. 



Several other Masters of American vessels corroborated these 

 statements, but I did not think it necessary to take the particulars. 



Lieutenant Governor Le Marchant to Vice Admiral Seymour. 



GOVERNMENT HOUSE, 



Halifax, August 26, 1852. 



SIR: Referring to your Excellency's letter of the 23rd instant, 

 which, with its enclosures, I have had the honor to receive, I beg to 

 remind you that copies of the Instructions under which the Captains 

 of the Provincial Cruisers are acting, are in your Excellency's pos- 

 session. On reference to these you can satisfy yourself that they 

 contain no authority whatever to act upon our construction of the 

 Convention, except where Vessels are actually found fishing within 

 three marine miles of the shore. 



Your Excellency may be assured that the Provincial Government 

 have every desire to avoid controversy on the point now under dis- 

 cussion by the Governments of Great Britain and the United States. 



