OUE SEA FISHERIES, 219 



hand, so discouraging liad been the countenance of 

 the Government to the British fisheries, that the 

 capitals embarked in them were by degrees with- 

 drawn, and the nurseries of seamen, so justly valued, 

 almost entirely lost. They stiU more rapidly declined 

 after the treaties of 1814 and 1818, when the greater 

 and the most valuable parts of the Newfoundland 

 fisheries were ceded to the French. The Americans 

 zealously foEowed the example of France, supported 

 their fisheries by bounties and other encouragements, 

 and thus, concurrently with the French, sapped the 

 foundation of the British fishery. The British fisher- 

 men, being unable to contend with the unequal com- 

 petition, were left to languish and to deteriorate, 

 being chiefly employed in the in-shore fisheries in 

 small craft; while the French and the Americans 

 prosecuted with vigour the deep-sea fishing on the 

 great banks of Newfoundland — these Powers, it is 

 stated, employing at least 1,000 vessels of consider- 

 able burthen, and manned with not less than 30,000 

 seamen. 



"The valuable report, dated 2d October, 1848, ad- 

 dressed to the Vice- Admiral, the Earl of Dundonald, 

 by Captain Granville G. Loch, RK, upon the fisheries 

 of Newfoundland and Labrador, when in command 

 of her Majesty's ship Alarm (an ominous name) 



