1190 MISCELLANEOUS. 



The north and south coasts are much indented with bays and coves, 

 and the waters teem with fish. But as the soil is generally good, and 

 owned by persons of skill and property, the fisheries are much neg- 

 lected. Various attempts have been made to induce greater attention 

 to maritime pursuits. 



In 1842, it is believed that a company was formed in England, with 

 a capital of several hundred thousand dollars, to promote this object. 

 The plan of this association was, as is said, to purchase land for a 

 town, erect buildings, and send over two thousand persons. Of its 

 actual operations and success I have no knowledge. In 1844 the gov- 

 ernor of the colony, "in a speech from the throne," recommended the 

 organization of a company for the prosecution of the fisheries. 



Mackerel are at times abundant. A single example will suffice: In 

 1848 an American schooner was dismasted, and put into Georgetown 

 to repair. Having refitted, she went to sea, and returned to port with 

 eighty barrels of fat mackerel, after being absent only one week. The 

 fish were taken, however, in two days, the weather interfering with 

 operations during the remaining part of the time. 



The exports of Prince Edward Island are not large, and often 

 merely nominal; the catch of the various kinds of fish hardly exceeding 

 the demand for domestic consumption.* 



During the season for fishing our vessels frequent the coasts in fleets; 

 and as many as six or seven hundred .have been seen in the vicinity of 

 the island in a single year. 



Captain Fair, of the royal navy, in command of her Majesty's 

 ship the Champion, who was upon the station in 1839, passed the 

 number here stated, and bears honorable testimony to their good con- 

 duct. 



The feelings of the inhabitants towards our countrymen may be 

 ascertained from the following resolution, which is understood to have 

 passed the House of Assembly unanimously during the session of 1852: 



"Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare an address to 

 her Majesty the Queen, praying that she will cause to be removed the 

 restrictions of the treaty of 1818, prohibiting American citizens from 

 fishing within certain prescribed limits on the shores of the island; 

 provided the American government admit articles the growth or pro- 

 duction of this island into the United States duty free, in accordance 

 with the act 12 Vic., cap. 3, including fish; also, vessels built on this 

 island to American registry; and that the legislative council be re- 

 quested to join in the said address." 



FISHERIES OF THE MAGDALENE ISLANDS. 



The Magdalene Islands fisheries are of consequence. These islands, 

 seven in number, are in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and about forty 

 miles northwesterly of Cape Breton. They originally belonged to the 

 French, and were first granted, I suppose, in 1663, to the Sieur Dou- 

 blett and his associates, as a fishing station, under the feudal tenure, as 

 a fief of the royal company of Miscou. After they became possessions 

 of the British crown they were granted to Richard Gridley, of Massa- 

 chusetts, who served under Pepperell at the siege of Louisbourg, who, 



* The value of the products of the sea exported in 1851, was only $38,776; while 

 of the single agricultural article of potatoes, the value was $47,568. 



