The Portland daily press., 1886-07-16
THE FISHERIES.
How the Schooner Geo. w. Cushing
was Seized.
Letter from Captain Keene of the
City Point.

The schooner Geo. w. Cushing of this
port arrived home yesterday morning at
O'Clock from Shelburne, where she was
seized by the Canadian authorities for an al
legged violation of the customs laws. The
schooner was brought up to Commercial
wharf where she will reft. On her main
mast the "broad R." marked there by the
Canadian authorities to show that the vessel
had been seized, was plainly visible yester-
day.
The schooner's captain says that the Geo.
W. Cushing sailed from this port on Tues
day, June Doth, and anchored off McNutt's
island, 10 miles from the Shelburne custom
house at O'Clock Friday afternoon. The
vessel had proceeded straight to Shelburne
and had not begun fishing. AT about II
O'Clock Friday night, a boat containing Cap
tain Quigley and four armed men from the
cutter Terror, came alongside and the
schooner was seized for not having reported
at the custom house. By order of Captain
Quigley, the vessel was got under way, but
did not get up the harbor to where the Ter
ror lay until 10 O'Clock the following fore
noon. Then the Cushing was anchored I'M
der the guns of the Terror. Three armed
men were left ON board the seized vessel as
a guard and the captain was obliged to pro-
vide food for them. An extract from Cana
dian law was read to the captainr setting
forth the fact that if he did not feed the
guards he would be liable to fine of 5000
and COSTS
Immediately after the Cushing anchored
off the custom house, the captain went on
ch0ra 10 antar A tba
pers were taken and fine of $500 and costs
imposed. Wednesday morning the schooner
was taken to the wharf and chained bow
and stern. Here the crew were allowed
their liberty. The City Point and C. B. Har-
rington were chained at the same wharf.
The Harrington had been seized only about
two hours before the Cushing and was
brought up to the custom house at the same
. time Monday, the amount of the fines and
costs having been deposited in the cases of
all the vessels, they were released. The
City Point was seen safely out of the harbor
by guard but the Cushing and Harrington
were allowed to sail without such company.
Both the City Point and Harrington pro-
ceeded to the banks to complete their trips
but the Cushing came home to reft.
The Cushing had crew of u men, seven
of whom belong in Nova Scotia and five in
Cape Elizabeth. While detained at Shell
burne IS tons of ice on board melted. The
schooner was on a trip after haibut and lost
in all about three weeks time, or the average
length of trip. The crew in consequence
lose from $50 to $50 each, the amount usually
melted by them and the cost of the outfit is
dead loss to the owners. beside their loss of
profit. When the Cushing sailed from
Shelburne she was obliged to take her en-
tire crew with her, Nova Scotians and ALL
Messrs. Gushing and McKenney yesterday
received the following letter from Captain
Keene of the schooner City Point.
SHELBURNE, July 10, 1886.
Mcssrs. Gushing Dc lMcKenney
When our vessel was taken to the wharf the
Collector said the sails would have to come off,
but have kept getting it put off as it would make
an additional expense and the crew would leave,
s @ woua ed @ a ne at an end but
day, and saw that the trip would be broken up
ana would make matters worse. The Consul
inform us where he was until yesterday noon, so
telegraphed you what thought was for the best
me in hard place as well as yourselves. When |
got ready to leave Bremen, a part of my crew
who 1aU had agreed to 60 left me with only men
would be all right as l could get men enough
mere, put nave found myself mistaken.
think this a rascally piece of imposition from
the beginning to the end taking and filming our
vessel for so small an offense l supposed / had
"a hours to enter i'll. as it never denied me be-
fore and it was always and has been our custom
to, in coming into Nova Scotia refill what water
we had used out after leaving home. We had on
ly one cask to FILL and my. reason for filling so
soon was because it was high water and we could
not NIL it when the tide was down. 1 think the
Dominion government have got man master of
the Terror that they must be proud Of We had
an armed crew on board of our vessel. They
were watching us before. we We're seized as if we
were lot of thieves, and he told me not to allow
any Of my men ashore unless they. went with me
20 attend repairs. told him that 1 would forbid
them from going but fishermen, as rule, were
an independent class and might go when 1 was
gone. He said if they undertook to do so they
would do it before the muzZle of z revolver. An
other time he told me to make it as comfortable
for his men as possible and if one of my men med
died with his they might get a sabre over the
head and it might not be pleasant.
July IL.
am driven to sea this morning under an armed
force from the cutter which is to escort me nine
miles from town. would write further particu-
lars, but have no time. STEPHEN KEENE.