800 



by 



paitiCQian further than that I hare seen them so fishing off Danzig Cove, near south point <rf Fortnno 



George Simms, page 133, British Affidavits, says :— 



" I Imve seen Uniteil Stntes' fishing vessels and crews catching codfish on the Newfoundland 

 inshore fisliiiig grouiuls, but cannot state the number, having made no records." 



George Bishop, of Burin, page 131, British Affidavits, also states:— 



"American vessels have tished for codfish on our grounds off Cape St. Mary's. American masters 

 partially refit their vessels occasionally at this port, but have not here tmnsshipped their cargoes." 



William Collins, page 62, British Affidavits, says : — 



" American llslierraen do sometimes fish on the ' inshore fishing ground ' off Cape St. Mary's. I 

 have seen as many as three of these vessels lishing there." 



Samuel George Hickman, residing at Grand Bank, Newfoundland, page 58, says:— 



" I have seen our .shore surrounded by American Kshcrmen fishing for halibut and codfish, but 

 cannot sny that nil these vessels were inside three miles of a line from headland to headland ; I ht.>re 

 frequently seen United States' vessels lishing between I'liss Island and Brunette Island, in some 

 instances tlu'se vessels have been lishing up the bay among the skiffs. I cannot speak of the quantity 

 or value of their cntclies, but 1 do know that they destroyed the halibut fishery about Pass Island, and 

 largely damaged the cod-lishery of Fortune Bay ; one of their captains told me 'it was no use for our 

 fishermen to go fishing after United States' fishermen.' " 



Georjjo Rose, of Little Bay, Fortune Bay, page 54, says : — 



" United States' lishing vessels have fished alwut Pass Island, and formerly made good catches there. 



Captain Jncobs. of seliooner , is said to have been offered 1.1,000 dollars for his load taken 



about Pass Island. AnuTican lishing vessels lishing off and about Pass Island, fished for halibut and 

 codfish, but chielly for halibut. My estimate of the value of their catch is at least equal to 10,000 

 dollars per annum, and such hshery was conducted exclusively within three miles of our shores." 



There is no reason for supposing that the United States will not exercise the 

 privilege wliicli fliey iiave, to an equal, or even greater degree than the French use 

 tiioirs. Tlu! i^rospects lor lucrative results are more promising to the United States than 

 to France. Tlu! fishing grounds are hotter and more convenient. During the years 

 1871 to 1H73, wiien the United Slates first had the privileges granted by the Washing- 

 ton Treaty, tliorc was but an occasional United States' vessel wiiich went to Newfound- 

 land for bait. From 1873 to 1876, the number increiised every year; and in 1877, the 

 present season, it is stated in evidence that an immense number — one witness, I believe, 

 says nearly all tlie Grand Bank vessels— have supplied themselves there with fresh bait; 

 and some have been employed in catching herring and conveying them to St. Pierre 

 and Miquelon, for the purpose of sale to the Frencli. They then enter into direct com- 

 petition with our jM-'oplc. This, probably, is only a prelude to that competition in the 

 Brazilian, West Indian, and Kuropean markets which we shall have to contend against. 

 The Americans have, by virtue of tlie riglit to land and cure their fish, the same 

 advantages which we possess for supplying those markets, which now are the outlet of 

 our products. This business, by Amor leans, is evidently a growing one, and as they 

 acquire more and more intimate knowledge of the coast, its harbours and fishing grounds, 

 ami their extent and productiveness, as tliey find out, which they will do, that they can 

 obtain their fish close upon the coast, with all the conveniences which our inshore fishery 

 affords, including the ready facilities for obtaniug bait close at hand, with excellent 

 harbours available for tiie security of their property, is it possible to conceive that there 

 are not those who will prefer this investment of tlieir capital, rather than incur the risk 

 of life and property and those expensive equipments which are incident to vessels engaged 

 on the Bank fishery ? 



Mr. Foster, in an early portion of his speech, undertakes to show *' why the fisher- 

 men and people of the United States have always manifested such a feverish 

 anxiety," to gain access to the inshore fisheries. His explanation is, that at the time the 

 various Treaties which contain provisions respecting the fisheries were concluded, the 

 mackerel fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, its an industry was unknown, and that their 

 efforts were direeleil to maintain their chum to the deep-sea listieries. As a matter of 

 fact, the mackerel lishing by United States' vessels m Canadian waters sprang up at 

 a period subse(|uent to the Convention ot 1818. With the circumstances under which 

 this branch of the fishing business was commenced, there is po evmence, but doubtless a 

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