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APPENDIX G.

AFFIDAVITS PRODUCED IN SUPPORT OF THE CASE OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.

DOMINION OF CANADA,

No. 1.

Province of Prince Edward Island, Queens County, to wit:

I, ALEXANDER M. MCNEILL, of Cavendish, in Prince Edward Island, farmer and fisherman, a justice of the peace for Queens County, Prince Edward Island, make oath and say :

1. That I have been actively engaged in the fisheries off my farm at Cavendish since the year 1851, and have personally carried on the fishing.

2. I have had three boats engaged fishing every season, employing seven hands besides myself, and at the same time cultivating my farm. 3. The first few years my catch was not very good, owing greatly to the presence in such great numbers of the American fleet.

4. The numbers of this fleet throughout the gulf-I don't know but I have counted from my own shore over one hundred sail of American fishing-vessels, and that within three miles of the shore.

5. I attribute the poor boat-fishing of years gone by, during the Reciprocity Treaty, to the presence of the American fishing fleet.

6. Their custom was, to the number of from sixty to one hundred sail, to harbor in Malpeque, and then start out in the morning for the fishing grounds. If they saw a small boat taking mackerel, they would steer straight for them, going to windward and drift down, throwing bait, aud either take the fish away or injure the boats. This was common for years, and very largely and materially prejudiced the boat-fishing.

7. During the past four or five years we have not been much annoyed with them. The British and Canadian cruisers had something to do with keeping them in order, and during the last two years only a small fleet has frequented the gulf.

8. The consequence has been that the catch by the boats has been very largely increased, and also the number of fishing-boats, which has more than doubled during the past four years. Many new boats are being built, and my opinion is that their number will increase every year. 9. During the past nine years my catch would average about one hundred barrels each season; but I do not make a business of fishing. In fact, I only prosecute it about two months in the season, combin ing fishing and farming.

10. I would think the number of fishing-boats at Rustico harbors would number about one hundred and fifty.

11. My twenty years' experience has proved to me that the best mackerel-fishing around our coasts is about a mile from the shore, in from seven to ten fathoms of water.

12. All the fish caught by the boats are taken within a mile of the coast, many of them within half a mile, during the months of July and

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