General Introduction. 



13 



America will be seen by a glance at the following figures. 

 About 1000 decked vessels and 17,000 open boats are 

 engaged in fishing within the four provinces of Nova 

 Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario ; for the 

 other parts of the Canadian Dominion we have no authentic 

 details. 42,000 men are actually engaged in fishing, while 

 200,000 persons are estimated to be supported almost 

 entirely by this industry in its various branches. The 

 annual produce of the fishery of these four provinces is 

 about ;^2,ooo,ooo, and the boats, nets, and other instru- 

 ments represent a capital of over ;^6oo,ooo. In Nova Scotia 

 alone there are 9500 vessels and boats engaged in the 

 fisheries, valued at i^2 10,000, manned by 19,000 men, with 

 nets, etc., to the value of £\ 14,000. 



The fisheries are not only of importance to us in con- 

 sequence of the vast amount of wealth that can be drawn 

 from the deep, apparently without diminution, or exhaust- 

 ing its source, but because by this means a body of able 

 and hardy seamen may be found to conduct the commerce 

 of a maritime country during peace, and to become its 

 gallant defenders on the ocean in time of war. This inex- 

 haustible source of national wealth and greatness appertains 

 in an especial manner to the British Possessions in the 

 northern hemisphere, and has long excited the rivalry of 

 the citizens of the New England States, who are aided by 

 bounties granted by the general Government. 



The Atlantic fishing ground situated in British waters 

 reaches from the Bay of Fundy along the southern coast 

 of Nova Scotia, around Cape Breton and Prince Edward 

 Island, and embracing the Bay of Chaleur, extends to the 

 Island of Anticosta and Newfoundland, the coast of 

 Labrador, and the Magdalen Islands. There is probably 

 no part of the world where such extensive and valuable 



