The said David Phillips has sworn to the truth of the above affidavit, at Peninsula, in the county of Gaspé and Province of Quebec, this eleventh day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. No. 186. P. FORTIN, J. P. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, RICHARD MILLER, of Peninsula, in the county of Gaspé, Province of Quebec, make oath and say as follows: 1. I am 68 years of age. I was born at Peninsula, and have lived here all my life. I have been engaged in fishing for the last forty-nine years, and am practically well acquainted with the cod, herring, mackerel, and halibut fisheries, and for thirty years, that is, of course, thirty sum. mers, I have navigated through the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Straits of Belle Isle for whale and cod fishing. I was present when the testimony of Mr. David Phillips was given and sworn to, and the same having been read to me, I fully concur in all the statements and opinions therein contained, and hereby swear that they and what I have above stated are, to the best of my knowledge and be. lief, correct. RICHARD MILLER. The said Richard Miller has sworn that the above affidavit is the truth, at Peninsula, this eleventh day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. P. FORTIN, J. P. No. 187. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, JAMES ROONEY, of Perce, in the county of Gaspé, make oath and say as follows: 1. I am 52 years of age. I was born in Perce, and have lived here all my life. I began to fish at the age of 17; I afterwards kept a fishery, which I still keep. I am well acquainted with the fisheries of this coast, and along this shore. 2. The fish found here are cod, herring, and mackerel; and the baits, squid, caplin, herring, mackerel, are also taken, generally close to the shore. The herring spawn abundantly along the shore. 3. The fish do not run every year the same, but the general run is about the same, some years more and some years less. I mean the codfish. The bulk of this fish is caught close along shore, that is, within three miles. The fish thus caught inshore is much the best fish; all the fish thus caught along this coast is sold either in Brazil, the West Indies, Spain, Portugal, or the Mediterranean. The Gaspé codfish is the best fish in the market, and commands a higher price, owing to its peculiar preparation. Codfish caught on the Banks and salted on board a vessel could not be dried to suit these markets. During the summer our fish is not kept more than three days in salt before it is exposed to the sun to dry. Codfish spawn in this neighborhood, especially around Bonaventure Island. 4. The habit of the Americans of throwing offal over on the Banks is injurious to our cod-fishery. It gluts the fish, and they won't bite on the lines. It floats away with the tide and draws the fish off after it. 4. In 1854, and during the continuation of the Reciprocity Treaty, and years of the license system, a large number of American mackerelfishing vessels were seen all along this coast. They used even to fish in among our boat-moorings for mackerel. I have seen at one and the same time about 30 American mackerel schooners in this neighborhood. I have counted 100 sail in different ports in view at the same time, and I believe that the total annual number that visited this coast during the time named was between 400 and 500. Many of them made two trips. Their tonnage would average from 50 to 150 tons, with from 15 to 20 men, and they took from 400 to 800 barrels. The most of this fish was taken within the three-mile limit. Since the beginning of the Treaty of Washington a considerable number continued to fish for mackerel in our inshores. I should estimate the number to have been from one to two hundred. The habit practiced by the Americans of coming in among our boats fishing for mackerel close inshore, and by throwing out large quantities of bait, thus baiting the mackerel away outside of the reach of our boats, was exceedingly injurious to us and our fishermen. 5. The mackerel spawn along this coast, and the Bay of Gaspé in particular I have seen alive with the mackerel-fry. I have seen the same thing along the coast. 6. The fattest mackerel are always closest to the shore, because there they find the most bait; and this is the case with every kind of fish. 7. The right of fishing on the American coast is of no use to us. We don't want to fish there, and I never knew of any vessel from here having gone there to fish. If there is any fish there, why do they want to come here and fish? 8. Our fish being prepared for warm countries will not find a market in the United States, so that the right of selling our fish duty free in the United States is of no use to us. 9. The right of fishing in our domestic waters, of drying fish on our shores, of taking bait along our beaches, and of transshipping cargoes in our harbors, is a very great privilege to the Americans and of great value to them. It is also a very serious loss and inconvenience to us. 10. Our population is rapidly increasing, and we require all our fisheries for our own fishermen. If the Americans continue to disturb our waters and drain our fisheries in front of our very doors, many of our young men will have to emigrate. 11. Many times I have known people on this coast obliged to keep in their houses, and in some cases to arm themselves for protection, to defend themselves from American fishermen on drunken sprees along shore. They also used to commit trespass, break down our fences, and overrun our fields. I have known of two young girls having been carried off on American vessels against the wishes of their parents. I hereby swear that the above statement is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, correct. JAMES ROONEY. The said James Rooney has sworn to the truth of the above affidavit at Perce, in the county of Gaspé and Province of Quebec, this thirteenth day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. 83 F P. FORTIN, J. P. No. 188. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, FRANCIS LEBRUN, of Jersey, Channel Islands, at present residing in Perce, the county of Gaspé, of the Province of Quebec, make oath and say as follows: 1. I have been living at Perce since 1857; since that time I have been carrying on the fishing business on my own account. I deal only in codfish, and employ ten boats. I am thoroughly conversant with every operation connected with the taking and curing of fish. 2. The quantity of codfish is as great now as it ever was, although the number of fishermen and the quantity exported have increased very much. 3. All the fish prepared by me are exported either to the Brazils, the West Indies, or to South Europe. The price obtained for this fish varies from $4.50 to $8 per quintal. 4. More than three-fourths (3) of the fish taken on this coast, is taken within the three-mile limit, and the fish taken inshore are always of a superior quality to those taken outside. 5. The baits for cod are herring, caplin, mackerel, launce, smelts, squids and sometimes clams; all these baits are plentiful, and are all taken close inshore; some of them, caplin and launce, are taken from the shore. 6. Since the Treaty of Washington cod and herring are taken in about the same quantities as before. Mackerel this year are very abundant, being much more plentiful than for some years back. 7. The cod and herring spawn on this coast. I have often seen their eggs and then the small fish here 8. During the years of the Reciprocity Treaty great numbers of American fishermen used to fish for mackerel along this shore. The average number of these American vessels fishing annually in this immediate neighborhood was from 100 to 150, all fishing within the threemile limit. The tonnage of these vessels ranged from 60 to 150 tons each, manned by from 12 to 20 men. Their catch averaged about 500 barrels each trip. Many of them made two trips, and some even three. Even during the years of the preventative cutters, the Americans still managed to fish in the inshore waters by dodging the cutters. 9. During the first years of the Treaty of Washington, there was still a considerable number of American mackerel vessels seen on this coast. 10. The inshore fishery for mackerel and herring is much more valuable than the outside; in fact these fish are seldom taken far from shore. The relative proportion of the two fisheries is as fifty to one I think. 11. I am aware that the American Bank fishermen are constantly in the habit of coming to the shore to obtain bait, either by taking it them. selves, or by buying it from our fishermen. They also obtain ice, in which they preserve this bait. 12. I do not believe that any vessel fishing on the Banks could carry on the fishery with profit, or at all, without the privilege of obtaining fresh bait from the shore, as the supply of bait on the Banks is very uncertain, many vessels being for weeks at a time unable to obtain any. 13. The privilege of entering our harbors to obtain wood and water and to transship cargoes is a very valuable one to the Americans. 14. The privilege of fishing in the United States waters is of no use whatever to us. I never knew of any of our fishermen resorting to those waters to fish. 15. The free market of the United States is also of no value to us. 16. Many disturbances have been caused on shore by the American fishermen. On one occasion they abducted a young girl, a minor, against the consent of her parents; fortunately one of the cutters was near at hand, and, overtaking the American vessel, got back the girl. 17. I consider that much damage is done on the fishing grounds by the Americans throwing overboard offals. They kill the fish by this practice. 18. The privilege granted to Americans of landing on our shores to dry their nets, cure therr fish, of obtaining bait in our inshore waters, as well as of fishing there generally, is one that is exceedingly injurious to us, and of very. great value to them. I hereby swear that the above statement is to the best of my knowledge and belief correct. FRANCIS LEBRUN. The said Francis LeBrun has sworn to the truth of the above affidavit at Perce, this 13th day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. P. FORTIN, J. P. No. 189. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, WILLIAM JOHNSTONE, of House Harbor, Magdalen Islands, county of Gaspé, Province of Quebec, merchant, make oath and say as follows: 1. Have been acquainted with all the fisheries that are carried on about the Magdalen Islands for the last 27 years. 2. Fishing by the Americans for herring about the Magdalen Islands has been extensively carried on. Their vessels average about 65 tons; the herring vessels have 8 men, and mackerel vessels from 12 to 15 men each for a crew. 3. The American herring fishing vessels take away yearly from the islands about 600 barrels in bulk each. 4. The Americans carry on the herring fishery by means of seines and nets. They are obliged to land in order to fish; they have erected establishments on shore latterly. 5. The practice of throwing the offal of fish overboard, as done by the Americans, is highly injurious to our fisheries, because its gluts the fish, and, decaying on the bottom, poisons the water, driving away the large fish, and killing the young and eggs. 6. During and before the Reciprocity Treaty the Americans have always fished from the beaches about the Magdalen Islands. 7. The inshore fisheries about the Magdalen Islands are of much greater value than the outside. 8. I have seen the Americans many times in each season come in among our boats whilst they were fishing mackerel in Pleasant Bay, and by throwing superior bait entice the fish away with them. These vessels drift in a straight line, and all the boats anchored in their way are obliged to move or be run down. 9. The hauling-seines are used from the shore. The purse-seins are tucked in deep water, but always inshore. The purse-sein is injurious to the fisheries, because it gathers in all kinds of fish, both large and small. The large mackerel only are saved; the others are thrown away dead, which destroys the ground as well as the fishery. 10. The American trawlers resort to the inshores of the Magdalen Islands for bait for their cod fishery. 11. Cod, halibut, and haddock are taken in the inshore waters of the islands by the American fishermen, and also by the Canadians. 12. The food of mackerel is found inshore. It consists of lance, shrimp, sea-fleas, and insects adhering to rock weeds. Many breed inshore on sandy and muddy bottom in Pleasant Bay and the small Coves around the Magdalen Islands. 13. I consider it a great advantage to the Americans to be allowed to land to dry and repair their nets, and to cure their fish. 14. The privilege of transshipping cargoes enjoyed by the Americans is a great advantage, because it enables them to keep on the fishinggrounds, and to double their fares during the fishing season. 15. It is a great advantage to the Americans to be able to procure bait in our inshores, either by fishing for or buying it. If they buy it, it is because they find it more profitable, and it saves time. 16. The Americans could not carry on the cod and halibut fisheries about the Magdalen Islands so profitably without being able to resort to our inshores to procure bait. 17. It is of no practical advantage to Canadians to be allowed to fish in American waters. And I don't know of any Canadian vessels ever going there to do so. 18. The privilege of transshipping cargoes to the Americans is worth a load. And the privilege of getting bait in our inshores for their cod and halibut fisheries is worth from 50 to 60 per cent. of these fisheries, which would otherwise not exist. 19. Fishing by Americans in Canadian waters hinders the fishing operations of our fisheries to a great extent. Not only by their practice of enticing the fish away from the boats or by the practice of throwing fish offal overboard on our fishing grounds, but because they are so much better equipped with vessels and fishing tackle that they take all the best and largest fish, and by superior numbers overpower the boat fishermen. 20. The Americans resorting to our inshores for fishing purposes take advantage of this opportunity to trade with the inhabit ants with goods smuggled from the United States, these goods being an extra supply of ships' stores taken on board for that purpose. They give them in exchange for bait and in payment for labor, thereby defrauding the customs, and injuring legitimate trade by regular tax-payers. W. JOHNSTONE. Sworn to the best of his knowledeg, information, and belief, at Halifax, county of Halifax, Province of Nova Scotia, Dominion of Canada, this 23d day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. W. D. HARRINGTON, Justice of the Peace, Province of Nova Scotia. No. 190. In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington. I, CHARLES FOURNIER, of Magdalen River, county of Gaspé, Province of Quebec, fisherman, make oath and say as follows: 1. Have been acquainted with the fisheries on this coast for 22 years. 2. From 1854 to 1866 the fishing by the Americans on this coast has |