1176 MISCELLANEOUS. 



continue their adventures, by an act of Parliament, which allowed a 

 bounty of 40 to the first twenty-five ships, 20 to the next hundred, 

 and 10 to the second hundred, that should make fares of fish before 

 the middle of July, and proceed to "the banks" for a second lading. 



Lord North's bill to prohibit the people of New England from fishing 

 at Newfoundland, which was passed in the year last named, will be 

 noticed particularly elsewhere. 



During the discussion pending these measures the one to "encour- 

 age," the other to "starve" subjects of the realm Martineaux 

 Shuldham, who had been governor of Newfoundland three years, was 

 examined at the bar of the Commons. The material part of his 

 testimony may be thus stated: that the catch of fish in' 1774 was 



following terms. It will be seen that he attributes the suspension of the vessel fishery 

 to the bounty system of France and the United States; and that he considers the em- 

 ployment of a naval force to prevent "aggressions," a mistaken policy. 



To the Editor of the Times. 



SIR: The leading article of the Times of the 3d inst., on the subject of the British 

 North American fisheries, involves a maritime question of such vital importance to the 

 permanence of our naval power, that I hope you will devote the corner of a column of 

 your paper (perused and pondered over by civilians and statesmen) to convey, in as 

 few words as possible, the real cause of the progressive decay, and now total abandon- 

 ment, of that once important nursery for seamen, with which the duties of my late 

 naval command required that I should make myself intimately acquainted. 



The result of authentic information derived from official documents, most of which 

 were obligingly furnished by the zealous and indefatigable governor then presiding 

 in Newfoundland, (Sir G. LeMerchant,) proved that the British "bank" or deep-sea 

 fishery formerly employed 400 sail of square-rigged vessels and 12,000 seamen, and 

 that now not one of these follow their vocation in consequence of the ruinous effect of 

 bounties awarded by the French and North American governments. The former pay 

 their fishery lOf. for every quintal of fish debarked in the port of France, and 5f . addi- 

 tional on their exportation in French vessels to foreign States, once exclusively sup 

 plied by England a transfer which cannot be viewed simply as a mercantile transac- 

 tion, seeing that the substitution of a greater number of foreign transatlantic fishing 

 vessels, having more numerous crews, constitutes a statistical difference amounting 

 to 26,000 sailors against England, without including the United States a fact that 

 ought not, and, being known, cannot be looked on with indifference. 



Transatlantic steam-packets receive national support, amounting to hundreds of 

 thousands of pounds a year, without complaint being made even by the most zealous 

 free-trade advocate, because such vessels may prove useful in war. How, then, can 

 the policy of granting a premium, thus forced upon us, in order to preserve our nursery 

 for seamen, be considered otherwise than the cheapest means of manning our ships- 

 of-war? Such premium, for the deep-sea fishery vessels resorting to Europe, ought 

 to be accompanied by immunity to our in-shore colonial fishermen from the tax on 

 foot, (from which the parent State is happily free,) and by a release from other 

 imposts, from which the French fisherman, under naval authority, is wholly exempt. 



Brevity being essential to admittance into your columns, reference may be made 

 for important details to "Morris's Fishery of Newfoundland," containing petitions 

 and remonstrance of inhabitants, which assuredly have never been read by our 

 colonial administration, though pressingly urged for consideration. 



Vessels-of-war are obviously not required for the protection of the deep-sea fishery 

 which has ceased to exist; nor are they necessary for the security of the undisturbed 

 colonial punts which fish in-shore. The stationing more vessels-of-war to guard the 

 fishery is therefore a mistake, originating in a want of knowledge of facts. Fish caught 

 by the British subjects cannot be sold with profit either in continental Europe or in 

 the United States. In 1849, the duty paid on British fish in the ports of the United 

 States was $163,000, while the premium awarded to their own fishermen was $243,432. 



Those who desire further insight into the circumstances of our western colonies, 

 especially as regards the fisheries of Newfoundland, may consult a pamphlet pub- 

 lished by Ridgway, containing a statistical map, which ought to be brought to the 

 knowledge of those who possess the power to avert impending national mischiefs. 

 I am, sir, your often obliged and obedient servant. 



DUNDONALD. 



LONDON, August 4. 



