54 



■with Lord North's administration said, in the course of his testimony 

 before a committee of the Commons, that "the island of Newfoundland 

 had leen consideredpin all former times, as a great English ship, moored 

 near the Banks during the fishing season, for the convenience of English 

 fishermen;" that "the governor was considered the ship's captain, and aU 

 those concerned in the fishing business as his crew, and siib/ect to naval dis- 

 cipline." 



This quaint witness spoke in 1793. The same year, another fimc- 

 lionary, in his testimony before the same committee, declared that he 

 would "allow no woman to land on the island, and that means should be 

 adopted to remove those" already there. Thus do we conclude the eigh- 

 teenth century; barely adding, that the influence of the merchants was 

 yet sufficient to prevent grants of lands, and that the colonists raised 

 a few garden vegetables for consumption only by violations of State 

 papers and the statute-book. 



For the twenty years preceding 1815, the fishery was prosperous 

 beyond example. The profits to merchants engaged in it were some- 

 times fifty, sixty, eighty, and even one himdred thousand dollars in a 

 single season. Persons who commenced the business entirely destitute 

 of capital, shared in these enormous gains, and accumulated large for- 

 ,tunes in a short period. It would seem, however, that, as previously, 

 the advantages to the permanent residents were inconsiderable, since 

 the fishery was in the hands of English merchants, whose adven- 

 tures were conducted by agents, and of those who, on amassing wealth, 

 immediately departed Irom the island. A sudden and disastrous re- 

 verse occurred. 



The quantity of fish exported in 1814 was about one million ttao 

 hundred thousatid quintals, of the value of mare than twelve millions of dol- 

 lars. The quantity shipped in 1815 was hardly less ; but the peace 

 produced a ruinous change in price. The decline from eight and nine 

 dollars the quintal, to five, four, and even to less than three dollars, 

 was rapid. Almost universal bankruptcy followed ; for two or three 

 years entire suspension of the fishery was the result apprehended. 

 For awhile, the few merchants who escaped insolvency, utterly hope- 

 less in the general dismay, were bent upon closing their affairs. The 

 common fishermen, in the years of prosperity, had intrusted their sa- 

 vings to their employers, and the distress of this class would have been 

 diminished could these have been recovered ; but, losers by the failure 

 of the merchants to an amount exceeding one miUion of dollars, and 

 destitute alike of money and of employment, their condition was ex- 

 tremely sad, and excited deep sympathy. Thousands of persons de- 

 pended solely upon the hook and line for subsistence, and emigration 

 or starvation were considered the only alternatives. 



The colonists, who rely upon the products of the sea for support, 

 charge the most of their misfortunes to their French and American 

 competitors. They did so in the case before us. Their complaints 

 were groundless, and may be dismissed in perfect good nature. The 

 people who distress them so continually, and whose appearance on 

 their fishing grounds spreads so general consternation, were fellow- 

 sufferers from the ruinous decline of prices of commodities at the gen- 

 eral pacification of Europe, and were involved in similar bankruptcies. 



