of fish by a trap, for the purpose of taking deep-sea fish. At this trap large numbers of vessels are supplied with bait, most of whom are Canadian. During the past five days, six American vessels have run here for bait, none of whom we were able to supply. If the Americans do not get bait here they run to other Canadian ports for this bait, for without it they could catch no fish. Since the first of May I have baited eight American vessels, which took, on an average, twenty-five barrels of bait each. Twenty Canadian vessels have been supplied with bait, and have taken on an average fifteen barrels each.

JUDAH C. SMITH.

Sworn to at Lockeport, in the county of Shelburne, this 24th day of August, A. D. 1877, before me. AUSTEN LOCKE, J. P.

No. 284.

In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington.

I, AMOS H. OUTHOUSE, of Tiverton, in the county of Digby, make oath and say as follows:

1. Have been engaged in the fishing business for thirty years.

2. At least five hundred American vessels from all ports of the United States annually fish for mackerel, codfish, and halibut, in the Bay de Chaleur, and on the shores of Nova Scotia; this is within my knowledge for the past thirty years.

3. The average quantity of mackerel taken by each American fishing. vessel in the Bay de Chaleur is about three hundred barrels, and seven hundred quintals of codfish.

4. The present condition of the fishery is not as good as in the past, for mackerel, codfish, halibut, herring, hake, and pollock.

5. The Americans use trawls chiefly for codfish and halibut; mackerel by hook and line and seins.

6. Great injury is done to the fishing grounds by the American fishermen throwing overboard offal; it drives the fish from the fishing grounds.

7. American fishermen usually fish close to the shore, and have before and during the Reciprocity Treaty of 1854, and before and during the Treaty of Washington, at the Bay de Chaleur and Bay of Fundy.

8. The value of inshore fisheries are more valuable than outside.

9. American fishermen catch bait within three miles from the shores and in the bays, with nets, on the shores of Nova Scotia, to a great extent.

10. Halibut, codfish, haddock, hake, and pollock are caught by the American fishermen in the inshore waters of Canada, and the same kinds of fish are also caught inshore by Canadian fishermen.

11. Since the Treaty of Washington of 1871, the fish have decreased very much in the Bay of Fundy, for the last five years, as much as twenty per cent., which is caused by using trawls.

12. American fishermen have caused great injury to the fisheries in the Bay of Fundy, by the use of trawls, since the Treaty of Washington. 13. The herring fishery in Canadian waters is greater inshore than outside, and American fishermen catch herring for bait and for sale in the Bay de Chaleur, Bay of Fundy, and St. Mary's Bay.

14. Mackerel caught in Canadian waters are as good, if not better,

than those caught in American waters; take one year with another, the price would be about the same in the United States market.

15. The opportunity of transshipping cargoes enjoyed by American fishermen since the Treaty of Washington is a great advantage to them. I have known American vessels to make three trips in one season, by transshipping their cargoes at the Bay de Chaleur.

16. It is a great advantage to American fishermen to procure bait in the Canadian inshores, and it is more profitable and causes them less delay to buy it than to catch it.

17. The American fishermen cannot carry on the cod and other fisheries of the deep sea around our coasts, without the privilege of resorting to our inshores to procure bait, and would have to abandon the business to a great extent if they were deprived of the privilege.

18. It is a great advantage to American fishermen to resort to Canadian inshores for ice and other supplies required in their fishery business. 19. The privilege of fishing in American waters is of no practical advantage to Canadian fisherman. I never have known any of our Canadian fishermen to make any use of their fishing-grounds.

20. The privilege to each American vessel of procuring bait and transshipping cargoes in Canadian inshores, would be at the least one thousand dollars.

21. The Americans having free access to our Canadian inshore fisheries, and the large quantities of all kinds of fish taken by them, hinder s the Canadians from getting as good a market as they would if they had the exclusive right of the inshore fisheries.

The foregoing statement is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Captain A. H. OUTHOUSE.

Sworn before me at Tiverton, in the county of Digby, this 13th August, A. D. 1877.

No. 285.

JOHN A. SMITH, J. P.

In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington.

I, JOHN MERCHANT, of Hardwicke, in the county of Northumberland, fisherman, make oath and say as follows:

1. I have been fifteen seasons, or years, engaged in business as a fisherman in Bay Chaleur, Miramichi Bay, Gaspé, all through the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and all along the shore of Kent County; and was also five years as master on board of various American fishing-vessels-say three years in the Oak Grove, two years in King Fisher, both belonging to the port of Belfast, United States. The balance of the fifteen years I was chiefly engaged in small and large vessels of Miramichi Bay and Prince Edward Island, and in different places around our coast.

2. During the years I was master of Oak Grove and King Fisher, the number of sail would average about 500 sail, would average about fifteen men each, and tonnage about 75; and the places fished were Prince Edward Island, Bay Chaleur, Miramichi Bay, Gaspé; the kind of fish caught, mackerel.

3. I would say the average catch during the five years I was fishing was about 400 barrels each vessel, valued about $12 per barrel. 4. Mackerel are as plentiful now as when I fished.

5. Modes chiefly used in capturing mackerel were seining and jigging. 6. I consider the fishing water injured by throwing overboard offal from mackerel; but offal from codfish is very injurious, as the bones swallowed by the mackerel penetrate the fish, causing a large quantity to die.

6. I would say, two-thirds of the mackerel, during the time I have fished, were caught within the three-mile limit.

7. I consider the inshore fishery of great value to the American fishermen, and, in fact, could not do without it.

8. American fishermen still use the seine for taking mackerel. The manner used is: The seine is stretched out and around the school of mackerel, then hauled in together, then scooped out into the boats. I do not think the manner any way injurious, as when they find more than can be cared for, the seine is tripped and the mackerel let go. The seines are used inside the limit the same as other places-in fact, any place where mackerel is seen.

9. Mackerel have not decreased since 1871, as in some places. They are plentiful. The winds and feed is the cause of their scarcity in different localities.

10. Herring are caught entirely inshore.

11. Mackerel caught in Canadian waters are fully one-third better than caught in American, and bring prices one-third more than American mackerel caught in American waters.

12. The food of mackerel is about equally divided within the limit and outside. They feed on shrimps, smelt, fry, and smaller fishes. Their breeding places are around the sheltered bays and estuaries, during the months of May and June.

13. I consider the privilege to land by American fishermen very great. If deprived of this privilege they could not carry on their business. 14. It is a great advantage to be allowed to transship cargoes. It saves great loss of time and expense to owners. It enables them to make two trips during the season, sometimes three; and once I knew of five shipments of two hundred and fifty barrels each.

15. I consider it a great advantage to be enabled to buy bait from Canadian fishermen, and much easier and more profitable than fishing for it, as the bait is not procurable always when wanted.

16. It is considered impossible to carry on deep-sea fishing in Canadian waters without being enabled either to catch or buy the bait inshore.

17. I consider the privilege of fishing in American waters of no value to Canadian fishermen. I never knew of a Canadian fisherman resorting to American waters to fish.

18. I have known instances where United States citizens have carried on considerable trade with the inhabitants of the localities where they fish.

19. Do not consider that it hinders the operation of Canadian fisher

men.

J. S. MERCHANT.

Sworn to before me, at Hardwicke, this 14th day of August, 1877. ALEXANDER MILLS, J. P.

No. 286.

In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington.

I, WALLACE TRASK, of Little River, in the county of Digby, fisherman, make oath and say as follows:

1. I have been engaged in fishing for twelve years now past, and am still so engaged, altogether on the inshore grounds in this county. I fish from close inshore to off six miles, and catch most of the fish I take within three miles of the shore. I fish every year on the north and south side of Digby Neck, and take codfish, haddock, hake, pollock, halibut, and herring, the latter principally for bait.

2. On the north side of Digby Neck, the place at which we fish is called Whale Cove; on the south side the port is called Little River.

3. At Whale Cove I have counted forty sail of fishing vessels at one time, in the latter part of June; most of these vessels were American, from the State of Maine. These American vessels are from five to forty tons each, and carry from five to twelve men on each vessel. They take fish altogether by trawling, and do so close inshore among our boats, within three miles of the shore.

4. These American vessels set their nets for bait inshore, close in to the shore, and so many of them take up the grounds and carry away the bait from us.

5. These American vessels take from two to six hundred quintals of fish to each vessel. They throw their gurry overboard on our inshore boat grounds, and sometimes among our nets.

6. Our fishermen all bring their gurry inshore, in order to protect the grounds.

7. At Little River, on the south side of Digby Neck, from fifteen to twenty American vessels have fished inshore for the same kinds of fish as we take. They set their nets for bait, and throw "gurry" overboard on the inshore grounds.

8. Since 1871 the Americaus have come upon our inshore grounds and interfered with our fishing.

9. American vessels come around here with purse seines for mackerel. WALLACE TRASK. Sworn to at Little River, in the county of Digby, this 1st day of September, A. D. 1877, before me. J. W. DENTON, J. P.

No. 287.

In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington.

I, GEORGE E. MOSLEY, of Tiverton, in the county of Digby, fisherman, make oath and say as follows:

1. I have been engaged in fishing for twenty years now past, and am still so engaged. I fish from inshore to offshore three miles, and take codfish, haddock, hake, pollock, halibut, and herring, the latter princi pally for bait.

2. From eight to ten American vessels come here on our inshore grounds on which we fish, and trawl for the same kind of fish that we do. They have come on our inshore grounds since 1871.

3. These American vessels are from nine to sixty tons each, and carry from eight to ten men each. These American vessels carry away four hundred quintals of fish each.

4. They set their nets for bait on our inshore grounds, which interferes very much with the setting of our nets, as they take up the ground and take the bait away from us. They keep their nets set both day and night, a whole week at a time.

5. They throw overboard their offal from their fish on our inshore grounds, which is very injurious to our grounds. Our fishermen, of which there are about two hundred out of this place, bring their gurry inshore on the gurry-grounds set apart for this purpose-both boats and vessels. There are from eight to ten vessels, from fifteen to twenty-five tons, engaged in fishing out of this port, besides a large number of boats. The vessels bring their gurry ashore, having kids on board to keep the gurry.

6. Large numbers of Americans come into St. Mary's Bay every spring for fish. Thirty at least come and trawl around here for all the knds of fish found in St. Mary's Bay. American vessels also come with purse seines on board for mackerel.

GEORGE E. MOSLEY.

Sworn to at Tiverton, in the county of Digby, this 1st day of September, A. D. 1877, before me.

JOHN A. SMITH, J. P.

No. 288.

In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington.

I, CHARLES H. PAYSON, of Westport, in the county of Digby, merchant, make oath and say as follows:

1. I have during three years now past supplied American vessels with ice-about thirty tons each year, and about twenty tons to Canadian vessels. These vessels use this to preserve their (? bait); and with this ice and bait they fish on the coast along here.

C. H. PAYSON.

Sworn to at Westport, in the county of Digby, this 31st day of August, A. D. 1877, before me.

H. E. PAYSON,

No. 289.

J. P., County of Digby.

In the matter of the Fisheries Commission at Halifax, under the Treaty of Washington.

I, ELEAZAR CROWELL, of Clarke's Harbor, in the county of Shelburne, merchant, make oath and say as follows:

1. I have been engaged in the buying and selling of fish for twenty years. I have gone fishing for seventeen years, mostly in the inshore fisheries in this county.

2. Large numbers of American vessels run in here for bait. They come and go here every week. With the bait the Americans get here they trawl for codfish and halibut.