The New York herald., 1879-09-07
THE FISHERY QUESTION.

CAPTAIN BABsoN's INVESTIGATION OF THE SUB
JEcT-wHAT HIS REPORT TO THE STATE DE-
PARTMENT WILL BE.
A correspondent Of the Boston Herald, writing
from Halifax. September /. says:-
The United States steamship Kearsage Commander
Picking. arrived here from Newfoundland ut half
past ten this morning; after having called at afew
day afternoon. Collector Fitz j. Babson. of
Gloucester. and Mr.. Alfred Dwight Foster.
commission Of inquiry. which board.
has concluded its examination of the fishery ques-
ton, and nothing remains but to write the report.
just what the wording OF the report of Captain Bah
will be 1t Is naturally difficult to say, the Cap
tain has hardly begun to consider it.. or to marshal
his results on paper. However, he has learned. he
says. nothing that he did not know before. and
his report will have only the value that per-
sonal verihcaton always gives to All opinion.
He found in Newfoundland. and everywhere
else where he touched. that the feeling against
American fishermen and their participation
stripped OF all its verbal clothing merely the world
old feeling Of any class laborers against new labor
saving machinery. The fishermen OF the Dominion
and Newfoundland nettled by the American
energy, and hence their resenting. even with the
interference. because their competitors in the
tor wealth are far better fitted for the con-
test than themselves INN, In Newfoundland, more
and abetted by the wishes of the richer
class. or. rather, by those influential
mites of the fishermen. in supplying the shore fish,
ermen-on credit-with supplies, and taking their
pay ut the end OF the season in fish, The American
practice OF purchasing bait has caused these men,
for the lure Of the American ready money to almost
abandon their codfshing and devote their entire
energies to catching bait Such practice results in
the trader. at the close OF the season. being minus
the value of the supplies advanced to the
men who make double profit. first the
supplies advanced. and second the fish in
which they paid, have thrown themselves into
the opposition aud taken advantage OF the discon-
tent of the fishermen at the better equipments OF
their American competitors TO foster the feeling
that the Americans are damaging the fisheries. and
to in n measure encourage open resistance to the
Yankees. In short. said the captain, all the prfvi-
leges the Americans enjoy in Newfoundland waters
IL that OF coming In to pay for bait, merely COM
mercial privilege which is not privilege in ,luded
or touched upon by the Treaty OF Washington, tor
at Halifax com nercia privileges were unanimously
decided to be foreign to the treaty Intentions and
were ruled ont OF consideration by the Commis-
sioners. And the Americans would be far better Off
IL they could not avail themselves Of this privilege.
NJ it takes sometimes three weeks right out OF the
heart of the fishing season. The men spend their
employers money In wasteful way, up consider
able rum and do themselves more damage than good.
In regard to the troubles that have already arisen and
likely to arise in the future. the Collector finds
that the laws ana the treaty are not understood by
the colonial people. who think they are justified in
any sort of resistance to Americans, idea the resi-
dents OF Newfoundland cannot help nbibing II they
read such editorials and comments ms Mr.. Foster
has collected from the newspapers OF that island.
The fact that American captain drew his revolver
threatened to shoot any one who interfered with
his seines in the Fortune Bay affair, and which
seems Co excite their ire In Newfoundland is per
fectly justihable when you remember that 1t was
mob law and mob violence he was confronting,
u position In which any man is justified In
drawing and using firearms. The fishermen of
Fortune Bay did not understand their own laws, did
not obey thom lone OF the depositions. said Mr..
Foster, contains the fact that New wfoundland hsh
crman had his nets down all Sunday, and were
jealous that the Americans were proposing to uso
better and take what herring they pleased
they had perfect right TO do The Aspey Bay busi-
moss was just such another affair We have In these
indisp cases, that amount of argument can
overthrow. and all tho investigation any COM
mission Mr.. Evarts can appoint may undertake Will
only strengthen what we Claim and contend.
THE
As regards the disappearance OF the bait. which is
sometimes spoken OF, talk TO any number OF Usher
men and each will give you different opinion.
two OF them hold the samo idea; and the most
OF them are entirely ignorant of anything that bears
upon the habits OF the bait they employed in
hshing for. An old man ut ono of the coves visited
exhibited squid imboddod in the intestines OF an
ordinary jellyhsh, and ho thought that at least ho
had discovered how the squd are propagacd. There
In In this matter absolutely nothing to go by except
again, because tho mackerc were never so small AZ
they this year. II IL complained that the Ameri-
nets destroying the fisheries, in the using
of q smaller mesh than the Canadians do. But the
mackercl never were In such numbers as they are
this year Is that also attributable to the size of the
neshY The question OF the bearing that provincial
laws may have treaties is of one tor the
lawyers to settle, but no can doubt the issue,
though the British "headland theory" IL still
strongly adhered to- Whatever notions Secretary
Babson's report will have but one conclusion that
! n the treaty Is abrogatcd Americans and American
fishermen and their interests will not sufor and that
any continuance upon the present prcpostcrous
financial basis would be not only utterly uncalled
| for by the facts, but most highly injudicious.)