MISCELLANEOUS. 1153 



between 1841 and 1849, both inclusive, a mean quantity of nine hun- 

 dred and sixty-seven thousand quintals (to be exact in the statistics) 

 annually, may well excite a smile. 



That the charge against the French fishermen of trespassing upon 

 the fishing-grounds reserved to British subjects is true, to a considera- 

 ble degree, may be admitted. Her Majesty's ships-of-war have some- 

 times found them aggressors, not only at Newfoundland, but on the 

 coast of Labrador. Troubles from this source occurred in 1842; and 

 in the following year the British sloop-of-war Electra, in endeavoring 

 to drive off a vessel fishing on the southwesterly shore of Newfound- 

 land, unfortunately killed one man and wounded others on board of 

 her. It appears that the Electra was on the station for the purpose of 

 enforcing the treaty stipulations ; that one of her boats gave chase to 

 the French vessel, and, not being able to come up with her, fired across 

 her bows for the purpose of bringing her to ; that, not having accom- 

 plished this object, another shot was fired over her, which, Droving as 

 ineffectual as the first, was followed, by order of the officer in charge, 

 by a shot aimed directly on board, and producing the results men- 

 tioned. The affair created much excitement at the moment. A 

 French frigate arrived at the capital to demand explanations, and the 

 governor of Newfoundland immediately sent a despatch to the min- 

 istry "at home," stating the facts of the case. The offence, in this 

 instance, consisted merely in taking bait on the shore not within the 

 limits prescribed for vessels of the French flag by the treaties of 

 1713 and of 1783. The officer in command of the Electra's boat is 

 said, by the colonists, to have acted in accordance with the rules of 

 the service ; but a contrary opinion was expressed by the French.* 



The "Bultow" system of fishing is clearly in violation of treaty 

 stipulations. Prior to the peace of 1815, there is good reason to be- 



* The French fishermen suffered much at the hands of the British officers who 

 guarded the coasts in 1852. A colonial newspaper contained the following account: 



' 'It appears that the Charles, under the command of Jamea Tobin, esq., commissioner 

 of fisheries, has been doing service at Belleisle, where, on the 29th ultimo, there were 

 about one hundred French fishermen, with about thirty batteaux, who were just com- 

 mencing their annual invasion of British rights. Mr. Tobin immediately ran down to 

 H. M. brig Sappho to obtain help, as James Finlay had not then arrived with his crew. 

 His messenger had to travel seven miles over land on the night of that day, and by half- 

 past eleven of the same night returned with an intimation from Capt. Cochran that he 

 would land the required force by daylight on the following day in Black Joe Cove, 

 whither Mr. Tobin then proceeded with the Charles, and found that the Frenchmen 

 had been already routed by the men of the Sappho, and were running in their batteaux 

 under reefed foresail and mainsail the wind blowing half a gale at the time. The 

 Charles escorted them round the island of Belleisle, and then left them, without one 

 fish, to make the best of their way in a pelting storm to Quirpon." 



Near the close of the season, another colonial newspaper stated that 



"The Vigilance brig-of-war vessel, on the coast of Newfoundland, has damaged the 

 French fisheries very much. Fifty vessels of the fleet in the straits of Belleisle will 

 return home, having eighty thousand quintals short of last year's catch." 



These proceedings, it would seem, were authorized by the ministry, under the gen- 

 eral plan adopted in 1852 to prevent encroachments on the fishing-grounds. Admiral 

 Seymour, in a letter to the governor of Newfoundland, remarks that 



''Her Majesty's government are so desirous that ample means should be given to 

 check the numerous encroachments which have been represented to have taken place 

 in the last years at Belleisle and the coast of Labrador, that I am further authorized 

 to hire and employ some small schooners, for which I am to provide officers and men, 

 for the purpose ot carrying the object of her Majesty's government fully into effect on 

 the coast of Labrador, under the direction of the captain of the ship ox steamer there 

 employed." 



92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 3 34 



