fishery is principally on the Banks, as the inshore fishery has been greatly injured by the practice of trawling followed by the American fishermen. The mackerel are caught all around the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 3. I consider the practice of seining, which is beginning to be employed of late years by the Americans in the mackerel fishery, is very injurious. By means of this they have ruined the mackerel fishery on their own coasts, and will doubtless injure ours very greatly in the same way. The seines to which I refer are called "purse seines," because they draw up at the bottom like a purse. They destroy a great many fish uselessly, and tend to break up the schools of mackerel. 4. I do not think that the Americans could profitably carry on the cod fishery without procuring bait on our shores. They purchase a large quantity of bait from our fishermen and merchants. They also procure on our coasts a good deal of ice, which enables them to preserve their bait much longer than they otherwise could. I refer to the cod fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The vessels engaged in this take about four hundred barrels per vessel each season, worth about $1,600. 5. The inshore boat fishery of Canadians is injured by the Americans coming in among them and baiting the mackerel and enticing them away; and I consider that it would be a valuable advantage to British fishermen to carry on this inshore fishery without being subjected to local competition by United States citizens. 6. The privilege of landing and transshipping cargoes is of great advantage to the Americans engaged in the mackerel fishery on our coasts, as they are thereby enabled to make more trips and catch more fish than they otherwise could. They save about a fortnight by this means on each trip they make. 7. I consider that the fact of American mackerel bringing a higher price than Canadian is largely owing to the former being placed in the market sooner after being caught than are the Canadian mackerel. On this account they look better and fresher when sold, and consequently bring a higher price. Our mackerel are worth about $12 per barrel. 8. The privilege of fishing in American waters I consider of no advan tage to Canadians, and I never heard of Canadians availing themselves of such privilege. To the best of my knowledge and belief these statements I have made in this affidavit are correct. MICHAEL CRISPO. The said Michael Crispo was sworn to the truth of this affidavit at Harbor Au Bouche, in the county of Antigonish, this 1st day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. EDWARD CORBET, No. 48. ROBERT STEWART MUNN, age 47 years, merchant, and one of the partners in the firm of John Munn & Co., doing business at Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith: Deponent has been for upwards of twenty-five years engaged in the trade and fisheries of Newfoundland, and is well acquainted therewith in all their details. Deponent is aware that a large number of United States vessels prosecuting the Bank fishery are supplied with fresh bait and ice in the harbors along our coasts. Deponent further states, that the Newfoundland cod fishery is an inshore fishery, as is the bait fishery, being prosecuted within three miles of the shore. The supply of bait to United States fishermen along our shores acts injuriously on local fishermen, for although it is true that there is an abundant supply of such bait, yet the very large quantities required by United States fishermen and their extensive operations in procuring such frequently drives bait from coves and inlets where the local fishermen were accustomed to get their supply, and where their facilities enabled them to obtain what bait they needed, whereas they have not the conveniences of following the bait from harbor to harbor; and, further, the bait being thus driven from these localities, codfish also disappear, as they follow the bait; the result being that the local catch has become precarious, and a marked reduction is evident since United States fishermen began the bait trade in these waters. Deponent is well informed in affirming that one million dollars is a moderate valuation of the fish consumed for food, bait, and agricultural purposes by the inhabitants of Newfoundland, and that an average estimate of the profit on the yield of the inshore fisheries of Newfoundland would and does exceed twenty per cent., as is shown by the annexed statements marked A and B, which were carefully compiled from the books of the firm of whose business this deponent is managing partner. The traffic in bait by United States fishermen is an absolute injury to the people of this country and represents no actual money profit to our fishermen. Commercially the Treaty of Washington has not benefited Newfoundland by creating an extra demand or outlet for any of the produce of this country, nor can such be expected, inasmuch as United States fishermen, enjoying equal rights with Newfoundland fishermen, will fully supply their own markets with fish, and the exports of oils have not increased since the Treaty of Washington came into operation. In explanation, I wish to state that the reason why I say that the bait traffic is of no money profit to our fishermen is, first, the amount paid for bait is small and no compensation for the labor of procuring the same, and secondly the fishermen could be more profitably employed in catching codfish, which would yield them a much larger profit, and as a fact, fishermen engage in this bait traffic for the purpose of obtaining a little ready cash, the greater part of which they waste in dissipation. ROBERT S. MUNN. Sworn before me, at Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, this 27th July, 1877. J. O. FRASER, Commissioner of Affidavits. A. Fshing-voyage statement. We take the average of 4 years' catch-1873, 1874, 1875, and 1876-of EXPENSES, &C. $400 00 $404 00 Now if these men hired their boat, they would have to pay only $14; but we charge her as a new boat, costing, with all her outfit, $90.00. She should, at least, run 7 years— making a yearly hire equal to Add yearly expenses fitting out.. A herring net and moorings cost $24-for four years, or yearly 1 cast net, $3-for three years, or yearly. 1 dozen lines, $4, and 6 dozen hooks, 60 cents. $12 86 20 00 6 00 1.00 4 60 Twines used and lead 1 40 Allowed for labor, assisting to cure fish-80 qtls., at 20................ Net amount for boat $300 00 (6 per man $150 00 The yield of oil one year with the other fully pays the expense of salt. ROBERT S. MUNN. The above account is for two partners; deducting the customary wages therefor of one-half their catch shows a profit of 25 per cent. 7 20 3 30 45 00 16 00 104 00 B. A cod-seine crew, On an average, would for the season catch 500 quintals, at $5. Crew consisting of master, 6 sharemen, 1 boy, and 2 girls.... EXPENSES. A new cod-seine will cost.. Bags, cordage, &c... $440 00 520 00 Probaby required for a period of 7 years' use-to replace twine, &c... 80 00 Full cost.... 600 00 J. O. F. $2,500 00 Which will run at least 7 years, making a yearly hire of..... Allow for expenses yearly boats.. 16 00 224 00 32 00 12 00 3 dozen lines for fall fishing. 1 gross hooks for fall fishing. 12.00 1 40 5.00 250 00 Twines, $3; lead, $2. Provisions used and extras. 6 shareinen, at $175.. Allowed for yearly expenses, fishing room, &c... .1,050 00 For other labor besides crew, curing fish, say 500 quintals at. 20 c...... Master's share as shareman Net gain on voyage.......... 20 00 -1, 170 00 50 00 100 00 175 00 1,942 00 558 00 Oil for salt as usual. Some of the expenses fitting out is done by crew. NEWFOUNDLAND, No. 49. ROBERT S. MUNN. James S. Hayward, of St. John's aforesaid, assistant collector of Her Majesty's customs, maketh oath and saith: That the statement hereto annexed, showing the quantity and value of the products therein referred to exported and imported by the colony of Newfoundland for the years therein stated, viz, eighteen hundred and fifty-one to eighteen hundred and seventy-six, in and from page I to page XX inclusive, and also that the statements hereto annexed, marked A and B,* purporting to be a recapitulation of the imports from the United States and exports to the United States and other countries for the year 1851 to the year 1876 inclusive, and a statement showing the total and average imports and exports of fish and products of fish for the four years preceding the Reciprocity Treaty, the twelve years under the treaty, seven years after its abrogation, and three years under the Washington Treaty respectively, have been carefully examined by this deponent, and that the said statements, to the best of this deponent's knowledge and belief, exhibit a true and correct account of the several matters therein set forth. JAMES S. HAYWARD, Sworn before me, at St. John's aforesaid this nineteenth day of July, A. D. 1877. NEWFOUNDLAND, St. John's, to wit: J. O. FRASER, Commissioner of Affds. No. 50. James S. Hayward, of St. John's aforesaid, assistant collector of the customs, maketh oath and saith that the statement annexed, marked No. 11, has been carefully examined by this deponent and he verily believes * Appendix I. + See Annex B, attached to British case. the same to be correct in every particular, the same having been compiled from the records of the customs establishment and other authentic records in this island. JAMES S. HAYWARD, Asst. Collector. Sworn before me, at St. John's aforesaid, this fifth day of June, A. D. 1877. J. O. FRASER, Commissioner of Affidavits. NEWFOUNDLAND, No. 51. St. John's, to wit: The honorable James Johnstone Rogerson, of St. John's aforesaid, receiver-general and collector of customs for the island of Newfoundland, maketh oath and saith that the annexed statement, marked A, * has been carefully examined by this deponent, and he verily believes the same to be correct in every particular as therein set forth, the said statement having been compiled from the records of the customs department and other authentic records of the said island. JAMES J. ROGERSON, Sworn before me, at St. John's aforesaid, this eighth day of June, A. D. 1877. NEWFOUNDLAND, St. John's, to wit: JAMES O. FRASER, No. 52. I, Joseph P. Deneff, at present in St. John's aforesaid, and a native of the said island, do declare that I have been for the past six years, last preceding the date hereof, engaged in prosecuting the fisheries out of the ports of Salem and Gloucester, in the United States, on the coasts of Newfoundland, of the Dominiou of Canada, and on the Banks in the deep sea; that I am of opinion that it will be of the greatest importance to American fishermen to be enabled to get the bait necessary for the Bank fisheries in Newfoundland; that this benefit can hardly be overestimated; that there will be, during the current season, upwards of two hundred American vessels in Fortune Bay for bait, and that there will be upwards of three hundred vessels which are engaged in the Grand Bank fisheries belonging to the United States, to which it will be of the greatest advantage to run into Newfoundland for bait of different kinds, and they would probably make about four trips during the season; that caplin is among the best bait which can be used for this fishery, and vessels would probably be enabled to make two trips during the caplin season; that this declarant is of opinion, from his experience, that the Bank fisheries are capable of immense expansion and development, and that the privilege of getting bait on the Newfound land coast is indispensable to accomplish this object; that a vessel of from seventy to ninety tons would take about one hundred barrels of caplin each trip. JOSEPH P. DENEFF, Master of the schr. John Smith, of Gloucester, Mass., U. S. *See Annex D, attached to British case. |