The Portland daily press., 1886-06-01
cANADA's CRUISERS.
Three American Schooners on Cap
tain Scott's List.
Many Fishing Vessels lowering about
the Nova Scotia Coast,
a Gloucester Vessel Seized for Buy
Ing Potatoes.
Complications Arising in the Defence
of the Adams and Doughty.

HALIFAX, N. s., May 31.-The schooner
Amos B., from Canso, reports that the
Dominion police boat L. Hewlett is cruising
in that neighborhood. The American schoon-
ers James A. Garfield, Frederick Gerring and
Greenleaf have been officially reported as
having purchased bait within the Canadian
limits, as well as other vessels, the names OF
which have not been learned. 1t is under
stood that the cruisers will attempt TO seize
these vessels should they be met. Inc Tar
field is said to have secured bait ana ice IN
Bras dor lake, and the other two optalned
theirs at Canso and Fox Island: Many
American fishing schooners are believed to
be lowering about the Nova ScOtlan coast,
but their fears increase with the departure
of each new fishery cruiser from port,
The, enforcement OF the treaty oI loiS Is
brought down to q fine point A Gloucester
fishing vessel, the Matthew keany, Capt..
Dickson, put into Souris, Prince Edwards
Island, few days ago, and purchased ten
bushels of potatoes The sub-collector OF
customs at that little hamlet Immediately
flimsy for the authorities at Ottawa; so, af-
ter being under arrest twenty-four hours,
Capt Dickson was ordered to return the po-
tatoeS to the person from whom he purchas-
ed Ds heR cS and Rfn oaoas "a Se
treaty in the future, and ordered to leave
port The cruiser Hewlett visited most of
the batting stations near Canso, but only
saw one American fisherman, and having no
good reason to seize her, only warned her to
get outside the three-mile limit. The flag
Ship Lansdowne has returned to st. John
without capturing any prizes around Grand
Manan and CampobellO. Bait is scarce in
these districts. The mackerel are reported
to have left the American coast, and are
now plentiful along Nova Scotia shores,
where many American mackerel seiners are
looked for within the next three weeks.
No steps haveyet been taken to file de-
fence in the case of the captured Schooners
Adams and Doughty The hrst thing 10 pc
done is for the owners or counsel OF the
captured vessels to give security for the cost
of their own condemnation. This is without
doubt one of the harSheSt and most unreaSon-
able requirements in connection Win tne
law. The report that Wallace Graham, who
is carrying on the coIfiscation proceedings,
has been appointed a judge and will try these
cases, is absurdly untrue. But some funny
things will happen in the trial before the
Admiralty Court. The case of the Adams
was precisely similar to that of the schooner
J. W. Nickerson, which Slr WIN. 1oung con
fscated sixteen years ago for buying bait in
Canadian port. The defence was then
ably conducted by James Mcdonald, aided
by Wallace Graham, while Nicholas Meagher
assisted in preparing the prosecution: AT
the trial of the Adams, Mcdonald VIII pre-
conduct the defence and Graham the prose-
cution. Their positions ard arguments will
be exactly reversed.
One of the features of the trial will be the
exclusion of the two American counsel ap-
pointed by Secretary Bayard. Foreign coun.
sci is expressly prohibited by the rules OF
the Admiralty Court from practicing IN 1t.
Indeed, even counsel from the adjoining
province of New Brunswick cannot practice
in the Nova Scotian courts. The American
lawyers will be mere spectators at the trial
If the precedent set by Sir Charles Russell,
England's present Attorney General, in ex,
cluding General Roger A. Pryer from all
active participation in the defense of O'Don-
nell, who was hanged for killing Carey, is
followed at these trials, the Nova Scotlan
counsel engaged by the American Fishery
Union will refuse to associate in any way
with the gentlemen selected by Secretary
Bayard.
If the American feet follows the mackerel
10 the Nova ScOtiau coast as pred1cIed, tne
next important question to arise will be that
of headlands and the three-mile limit.
Where is the three-mile limit and how is it
to be defined? Who is going to draw the
exact line? Captain Lorway of the cruiser
Hewlett obtained from thelmanager of the
fish trap at Fox Island evidence that bait
was purchased by two American fishermen,
and he will seize them if he can catch them.