Morning journal and courier., 1886-05-21
THE FISHING noArs ARn,ne.

Yankee Skipper Who Proposes to Protect His vessel-Lively Times Ahead i'm Canadian Waters.
 BOSTON, May 20.-There has been no little excitement along the water front over the report that fishing schooner had been arm ing in the harbor. It is currently reported that the schooner Augusta Herrick, Captain William E. Herrick, left New York four days ago fishing trip to the Bay of Fun dy. Hearing of the seizure of the Portland schooner by the Canadians the owners of the vessel decided that something must be done to protect their property. The Herrick ao- cordingly put into Boston harbor and her captain went ashore. He immediately went to gun store near the wharf and purchased two thirty y-two inch yacht guns which were immediately delivered on board, together with large amount of ammunition and small arms. The schooner headed down the bay and shaped her course direct for the fish ing waters along the Canadian shore. The guns cost $200 and will penetrate steel armor one-half inch thick for distance of mile. The clerk at the gun store where the pur- chase is said to have been made says he ask ed the captain what he proposed to do with the weapons and the latter replied: "I am going a-fshing in the Bay of Fundy and l do not propose to have any cheap Canada pirate seize my schooner. It is pretty state of affairs when Yankee schooner is confscated for going into for eign port when she has papers that allow her to do so The British government has twice insulted the American nation, with what result? The administration has done practically nothing. No word of any kind has been sent to the owners of the conhscated vessels. There is evidently no redress for them. The government is afraid to make move. Does it fear to demand redress from England? If it does there is only one thing for our fleet to do, we must defend ourselves. I have on board a Yankee crew from the Maine coast. They are men whose courage is undoubted. They said to me: Captain, go ashore and get us guns We will go to the Bay of Fundy and if we are attacked by the Lansdowne or any other craft that car ries an English flag we will show them there is as good powder and ball in Boston as her majesty's boats can find in any land.'
 ''Would you resist an attempt made to seize your schooner:" was asked by the clerk. 'Let them try to take her and see, respond. ed the skipper. ''We do not propose to act on the offensive at all We do not want to have trouble with the English people, but if they should try to capture our schooner in the infamous manner they have the other two they will certainly find there will be blows to take as we'll as blows to give"
 The captain was intensely in earnest, said the clerk in an interview. 'EI never saw man who meant what he said more than he did. He patted the two guns fondly and then left the store. The cannon were de- livered at once." "Will they prove service able if put into action2' was asked of the clerk. "Well, ," said the clerk with smile, eff the Portland schooner had been in charge of this captain and crew the Doughty would not have been taken SO easily as she was. There will be circus if the Lans- downe tries to take the fishermen. The two guns aboard her are unquestionably the finest of their k.n6 in the world. They can be fired twenty times a minute and will sink any cutter there is in the Bay of Fundy."