MISCELLANEOUS. 1305 



In 1890, Canada, by Act of Parliament, extended the privileges 

 which had expired with the modus vivendi. This was continued 

 until 1893, when to avoid going to Parliament, an Act was passed 

 authorizing the government to issue such licenses from time to time. 



Report for 1896. 



SEIZTJBES. 



The only seizure of a United States fishing vessel made during the 

 season was that of the schooner Frederick Gerring Junior. She was 

 seized within one and one-half miles of Gull Ledge, off the coast of 

 Guysborough, Nova Scotia, on the 25th May, by Captain Knowl- 

 ton, for bailing mackerel out of a seine inside the limits. The master 

 pleaded that the fish were caught outside, and if she was inside at 

 the time of seizure, she had drifted in, and that the act of fishing 

 was finished when the fish were once inclosed in the seine. The case 

 was tried in the Admiralty Court of Nova Scotia before the Chief 

 Justice, and the vessel was condemned and confiscated. However, the 

 defendants appealed to the Supreme Court at the capital. The case 

 was heard, but judgment has been reserved. 



LICENSES FOB FOREIGN FISHING VESSELS. 



An Order in Council being passed sanctioning the continuance of 

 the system of the issue of licenses commenced under the modus 

 vivendi appended to the Treaty of Washington, 1888, similar licenses 

 were again issued for 1896. and the charge of $1.50 per ton formerly 

 made was continued. 



Report for 1897. 



It will be noticed that there has been a falling off in the licenses 

 taken out by United States fishermen this year. The reason, I think, 

 is the great leniency with which the department has treated these 

 fishermen, in many cases privileges being granted which really ne- 

 cessitated the taking out of a license, so, of course, in the natural 

 order of events, owners would not pay for a privilege (although it 

 is only a nominal fee) , when they could get the same thing without 

 paying. Those who did take out and pay for licenses were much 

 exercised over the same right being accorded to people who paid 

 nothing. 



During 1896 the number of licenses increased nearly 60 per cent 

 on account of the extra paragraph which was placed in the license 

 warning United States fishermen with a license that if they sold 

 stores of any description to vessels without such license, immediate 

 cancellation of the permit would ensue, and no license would be 

 issued to the offending vessel in the future. The invariable concili- 

 atory attitude of the Canadian Government for years to foreign 

 fishermen I think is taking effect now, and it will probably be found 

 that the licenses will become fewer. 



Report for 1898. 



It will be noticed that there are nearly double as many licenses as 

 in 1897. I put this down to the scarcity of bait on the United States 

 coasts; there is no doubt in my mind that the procuring of bait and 



