'^ 



* 



111; 



424 



Mr. Foster. — That is, you add the catch of your own people to tlie catch of our 

 people iu the gulf, and say that is such a percentage of the total amount that went into 

 the United States' market. I dare say it may he so. 



Mr. Thomson. — So, as United States' fishermen obtained in the gulf that year 80,000 

 barrels, and there were imported into their market from the British Provinces about 

 91,000 barrels, that makes a total catch in the Gulf of St. Lawrence of 171,000 barrels, 

 that is to say, the catch on the United States' coast was 130,339 barrels, or 43 per cent., 

 and the cateli in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 171,000 barrels, or 57 per cent., this makes a 

 total of 301,339 barrels. Now, these very figures themselves are about the very best 

 evidence that can be advanced as to the relative value of these two fisheries. 



With reference to tlie value which the United States themselves put on our fisheries, 

 I want to cite some of their own figures ; and the value which the Americans themselves 

 have set on tiiese fisheries is very conclusively shown by admissions of their own public 

 men. 



!Sii- Alexander Gait. — Before you take up that point, Mr. Thomson, will you be kind 

 enough to tell mc what the proportion of the catch you claim as taken inshore, bore to 

 the whole American consumption ; 50 per cent, you have made it, and 1 think it was 

 33 jier cent. ? 



Mr. Thomnon. — I say that if the proportion of the voyages taken inshore within the 

 three-mile limit be two-thirds, there were taken in British territoual w.itcrs about 60 per 

 cent. 



Sir Alexander Gait. — 50 per cent. ? 



Mr. Thomson. — Yes. I will read the proposition again. Now, allowing, as the 

 United States' alhdavits atlirm, tiiat one-half of the catch was taken inshore, viz., 

 40,000 barrels, add importations from Canada, 91,0i)0 barrels, which makes 131,000 

 barrels; and therefore there have been taken in Britisli territorial waters 45 per cent, of 

 the entire consumption of the United States. That is what I said. 



Mr. Piaster. — That is assuming the whole of your catch to have been taken 

 inshore. 



Mr. Thomson. — Yes ; and if the portion vouched for as taken from within the three 

 mile limit be two-thirds, then these figures would make 1.52,000, or over 50 per cent, of 

 that consumption. 



Mr. Foster. — I hope that the Commission will not charge us for the privilege 

 possessed by British fishermen of catching mackerel. 



Mr. Dana. — Sunie of the Britisli catch is taken eight miles from land. 



Mr. Thomson. — In order to sliow the value, as stated by the Americans themselves, of 

 these (islierics, 1 will (juote the language of Mr. Secretary Seward, which is quoted 

 on page I (i of the Brit'sh Reply to the United States' Answer. Mr. Secretary Seward 

 said : — 



" Will the Soimte yili'asp to iintice that the principal lisliorii's in tlio waters tn which those limita- 

 tions a]i])lv arc? the uiackcivlai:il the iiori'ini; lishcries, aiul that tlii'se aro what are called 'shoal lisherius,* 

 that is to say, the hest tisiiini.' for mackerel anil herrinix is within throe miles of the shore. Therefore, 

 by that renunciation, till.' L'nited States renouneed the best mackerel and herring; lisheries. Senators, 

 please to notice alsn, that the [aivile^e of resort to the sliore constantly to care and diy tish, is voiy 

 im]ioitant. Fish can he cured sooner, and the sooner cured the better tliey are, and tlie belter is the 

 market jiriee. This ciicumstance liivs iriven to the cohmies a ;j;veal advantaj;e in this trade. That 

 stinudalcd their desire to abrid^'e the American lishin.L,' as nuicii afl jiossible ; and indeed they seek 

 naturally enough to procure our exclusion idtogether from the lishiiig groumls." 



Mr. Foster. — What year was tiiat ? 



.Mr. Thomson. — 1852. Touching the mode in which the Treaty of 1818 as regards 

 large bays shall be construed, Mr. Secretary Seward said this : — 



"AVhile that ipiestion is kejit up, the American tisheries, which were once in a most prosperous 

 condition, are comparatively slationary or declininij althiaigh supported by large bounties. At the 

 same time, the Provincial tisheries are gaining iu the (juantity of lish exported to this country, aud 

 largely gaining in their i!.xportations aiiroad. 



"Our lishermen want all that our own e(m3tniction of the conviMition gives them, and want 

 and must have nidtr — they want and must have the privilege of fishing within the three inhibited 

 miles, and of curing tish on the shore." 



Certainly the circumstances which induced Mr. Secretary Seward to use that lan- 

 gua'.'c in IS52 have not clianged in such a maimer as to authorize the United States, or any 

 of her public men, to use diti'erent language to-day, 



Senat. .• ilainliii, alter describing the magnitude and importance of the American 

 fishermen as the greatest fountain of their conmiercial prosperity and naval power, 



x 



