SEVENTH ORDINARY MEETING. 51 



an annual catch of a million quintals of codfish. The rights of the 

 French seemed to him to be greatly detrimental to the interests of 

 Newfoundland, made the richest part of the island practically a 

 sealed book, and were a continual source of trouble to both England 

 and France. He further referred to the rights which the Americans 

 exercise under the Treaty of Washington, and showed that stringent 

 regulations were become needful, in the interest of all, to prevent 

 wanton destruction and depletion of the Newfoundland fisheries, 

 upon which so great a part of the world depended for a great part of 

 their food supply. 



He next described the geographical position and geological for- 

 mation of the island, its copper, coal, iron deposits, and made 

 particular reference to currents along shore, which he stated to be 

 the cause of the many shipwrecks which happen near Cape Race and 

 St. Shotts. Having called attention to the city and harbour of Sti 

 Johns, the capital of the island and its principal attractions, he pro- 

 ceeded to discuss the foreign trade of Newfoundland, which, he said, 

 is being drawn to the chief town more and more year by year, and 

 which he placed at $16,000,000 annually. The land question next 

 came under review in two branches ; first, as regards the waterside 

 premises of St. Johns which are built on leased lands, the leases of 

 which expire in a year or two, and concerning which legislative 

 action is contemplated in the coming session. Newfoundland has 

 developed with her landlords a crisis similar to that with which 

 Ontario had to deal in her clergy reserves, Quebec in her seignorial 

 tenures, Prince Edward's Island in her proprietory rights. 



Touching upon the larger question of land tenure Mr. Browning 

 referred to the decrees of the Star Chamber 1630, to statute 10 and 

 11 Wm. III., and 15 Geo. III., ch. 31, as establishing communism 

 in land. No man could own any acre of the soil, no reserves were 

 given to the Protestant or any other church, and no power was 

 granted to the governors to pass a title to land. This communism 

 continued until 1820, and made the country a fishing preserve 

 for the west country merchants. It enriched England and developed 

 her maritime power, but impoverished the soil of Newfoundland. A 

 geographical survey of the country into counties, townships, sections 

 and lots is still to be made, and is needed for agricultural and, 

 lumbering purposes. 



