.,.jj.,^ i ii..,.ja4iimn,uiji^-. i iWLj |iiwiii— 



fiiM i 



308 



American fisliing; vessels. But as by that decimon it has been ruled that this lias not 

 been cunceilfd, and thn' according; to the construction of that decision by the learned 

 Asrent for tlio United States, tliere has been granted " no ri!j;ht to do anylhimj except 

 water-borne on our vessels, to ^t) within tlie limits which had l)een previously forbidden." 

 1 must asli you to assume that hereatU'r tlicre will be no breacli of the Ireaty in this 

 sense l)y American citizens. Wiial would be the elTect of this aecordinj; to the strict 

 letter of the l)ond ? American fishermen must have the fresh bait, as I have shown, 

 and tlie only way in wliidi they will be able to obtain it will be by catching it for 

 themsi'lves. 1 must tlieii claim from you an assessment of the value of this privilege on 

 file basis that during tlie ensuing years of tlie operation of the Washington Treaty, United 

 States' citizens will he under the necessity of catching for themsi-lves the bait wiiic!) they 

 iiave mil tlie li'gal riglil lo buy. Surely, my learned friends do not asi< tliis Commission to 

 assume that Amcriean eilizeiis will hereafter surreptitiously avail tlicmselves of privi- 

 leges wliieli ilo not of right belong to tliem, and that on this ;ieconnt the coiiipen.safion 

 inw fairly and justly claimed on behalf c>f Newloundland sliouM he in anyway reduced 

 by reason thereof. 



And now, one word with regard to the winter herring fishery in Fortune Bay. It 

 ap])earsthat from forty to tifty I'niled States' vessels proceed there between the months 

 of Niivemlier and February, taking from tlienee cargoes of frozen herring, of from 500 to 

 SOO or 1,000 liarreis. On this point, I would refer you to the ailidavits by Mr. Hickman, 

 Mr. Giovanninni, Mr. Hubert, and otiiers — pages i>\\, 57, and o'J. of British aflidavits. 

 According to the evidence, tliese herring have hitherto generally been obtained by pur- 

 chase. The trade is evidently increasing, as it .-jeems that during the present year one 

 vessel loaded (^.'»00 barrels. .Mr. I'attiilo, a United States' witness, many years since 

 appreciated the riglit to catch so highly tliat he risked the contiscalion of his vessel, 

 rather than abandon his determination to catch a cargo fm* himself. It is hardly 

 possiiile, thin, to eoneeivo that tlie .Americans will continue to buy, possessing as they 

 now do the right to catch. 



I desire n(>xt to pass on and consider the question as to the Americans exercising 

 thi> l>rivileg(> which has been conferred upon them, of prosecuting those jirolific cod- 

 llsheries wiiicli 1 have shown to exist in the in.shore waters of Newfoundland, where 

 they liave now the liberty to fish. 



The nund)er of I'nited States' vessels (Migaged in the co<l-iishcry on the Grand Bank, 

 and fr( ijueiiting the coast of Xewfouii<lland for bait, according to the evidence, would 

 ajipear tfi \>v from 100 (o "jOO at the present time. Mr. Fra.ser, at page 173, Briti.sh 

 evidence, estimates tin; number at 500. The dtMiiands of a population of over forty 

 millions neecs.sarily call for an extensive area for the fishing industry of the United 

 Slates, and wherever tiny can pursue their labours with success, there will the United 

 Slates' fishermen be found. Tiie inshore fisheries of Newfoundland, containing an area 

 of ujjw aras of 11,000 stjuare miles, is a valuable addition to their present fields of 

 operation. The French enjoy a similar liberty on the north-east and west coasts of the 

 island lo lliat which the Unitid Statis now have upon the east and .south coasts. The latter 

 are ir.ore productive fishing grounds, and are in closer jiroximity to the (irand Bank 

 and ( ther b;;nks. By the evidence before you it appears, and the fact is, that the 

 French cnn, and do carry on an extensive lishing business on the coasts where they have 

 a riglit to lisli. They send their vessels of from 200 to .'iOO tons from France, which 

 anclicH- and lay u]) in the harbours, lishing in their boats in the neighbourhood, close 

 inshore during the siimnu r, ;ind returning to France v\ith their cargoes in the fall of the 

 year. Again, olln r smaller French vessels juirsue the cod-fi.shing all around the west 

 coast : and as to llie values set upon these fisheries by the French, some approximate 

 idea may be arrived at from the jealousy with which their right has heen guarded by 

 their (Joverniiuiit throughout the long and freijuent negolhitions which have from time 

 to time t.ikeii place betvvei ii France and (Jreal Britain mion the subject. It is true, that 

 luretofore l!ie cod an I lialil<iit IIsIk ry has not bee n pro.secnted by United States' fislier- 

 miii to any considerable exleiil on most, parts of the coast of N'cwfinindlaiiil, but slill 

 there is I vidciice of their having fished successfully on the southern coast. William 

 N. Miilloy, of Gloucester, Master Mariner, stales in his allidavit, page 51, British 

 Afiidavits: 



•' 1 kiidw of twti I'niti'd .Stiiti's' vi'ssoLs that lisliud I'ur coJiisli )n.side the Keys, St. Mary's, that i.s 

 in thi' ilLslion' j'tuunil. I linlicil llii.ii; luv.stlf." 



I'l.dip Snook swears, iia!.;e 57, Biiti.^h Afiidavits: — 

 " I'liilcJ .^'iiits' li.iiiiiig vis.'icl.-i Iiiivi' l'i.-!li< d ill iliu inshore li.sliiii;' 1,'rouni.l. but I rnnnnt give 



