QUESTION THREE. 61 



The British Statute of 1775 (15 Geo. Ill, cap. 31) is entitled 

 (British Case, App., p. 543) 



"An Act for the encouragement of the Fisheries carried on from 

 Great Britain, Ireland and the British dominions in Europe, and for 

 securing the return of the fishermen, sailors, and others employed in 

 the said fisheries, to the ports thereof, at the end of the fishing season." 



After reciting that the fisheries carried on by His Majesty's sub- 

 jects of Great Britain and of the British dominions in Europe, 

 70 had been found to be the best nurseries for seamen, and that 

 it was, therefore, of the highest national importance to give all 

 due encouragement to them, the statute provided for the payment of 

 certain bounties to fishing- vessels owned by British subjects resid- 

 ing in Great Britain, or Ireland, or the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, 

 or Man, and fitted out as described in the Act and employed in the 

 fishery on the banks of Newfoundland, and it further provided as 

 follows (British Case, App., p. 545) : 



"And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid that 

 from and after the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred 

 and seventy-six, all vessels fitted and cleared out as fishing ships in 

 pursuance of this Act, or of the before-mentioned Act, made in the 

 tenth and eleventh years of the reign of the late King William the 

 Third, and which shall be actually employed in the fishery there, or 

 any boat or craft whatsoever employed in carrying coastwise, to be 

 landed or put on board any ships or vessels, any fish, oil, salt, pro- 

 visions, or other necessaries, for the use and purpose of that fishery, 

 shall not be liable to any restraint or regulation with respect to days 

 or hours of working, nor to make any entry at the custom-house at 

 Newfoundland, except a report to be made by the master on his first 

 arrival there, and at his clearing out from thence; and that a fee 

 not exceeding two shillings and six-pence shall and may be taken by 

 the officers of the customs at Newfoundland for each such report; 

 and that no other fee shall be taken or demanded by any officer of 

 the customs there, upon any other pretence whatsoever relative to 

 the said fishery, any law, custom, or usage, to the contrary not- 

 withstanding. 



" VIII. Provided always, and be it enacted. That in case any such 

 fishing ship or vessel shall at her last clearing out from the said 

 Island of Newfoundland have on board, or export any goods or mer- 

 chandise whatsoever, except fish, or oil made of fish, such ship or 

 vessel, and the goods thereon laden, shall be subject and liable to the 

 same securities, restrictions, and regulations, in all respects, as they 

 would have been subject and liable to if this Act had not been made, 

 anything herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding." 



It thus appears that in 1776, when the United States declared their 

 independence, the masters of all vessels coming into or going out of 

 any British colony or plantation, whether laden or in ballast, were 

 required to report at customs. But the masters of fishing-vessels from 

 Great Britain, who would have to make frequent trips to Newfound- 

 92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 8 22 



