The sun., 1919-09-07
FISHERMEN FIGHT
OFF SEABRIGHT
,0csl Mariners Accuse Portu-
ruese of Poaching Within
Three Mile Limit.
KNIVES WOUND MANY
Mariners Court to Be Held at
Sea To-day to Adjudicate
Differences.
KNIVES WOUND NAM
sr,ciai Dsspdtch TO The suS.


sn,pRroHT, Sept 6.--Before the Presi-
a.nt completes his coast to coast tour
:, NAV be called upon to give a deci-
dan on the high seas question right
:, our very door. An international en-
,,ssment took place Off the Jersey coast
.,,,srday afternoon, along the three
~ limits, between Scandinavian and
n.pish fishermen, assisted by natural
lad and American born citizens, and
po-,ueuese smack followers. No deaths.
M, broken limbs, probable loss of sight
and certainly weeks Of pain resulted
,rom an International engagement on
hosrd the smack Albatrose. The battle
continued for almost forty minutes
,bout three miles OF the Seabright
beach
lust who controls the high seas Is
,hs question at issue. Has q foreigner
,hs right to operate within territorial
waters without permission7 And who
viii show one where the three nautical
miles Degn, 50 ds " aNVio AuluiS
hravls?
Several Seabright fishermen yester-
aay afternoon were tackling the bluefish
Al the Shrewsbury rocks, which are
about half mile from the beach and
trtend possibly Ave miles to sea- The
skipper Of one Of the Portuguese coast
wise smacks noticed the fishing on the
rocks. circled about the few skin men
and dropped anchor. A little later his
dOries went over the side. They made
straight for the Slick" Of the local sea-
men,
The skipper Of the local feet, Capt.
Joseph Mount, and his assistant, Peter
D White with William Taylor Of Tren-
ton, warned the Portuguese fishermen
to keep of. The Portuguese failed to
comply, insisting they were operating
On the high seas and that they under
stood the Americas platform to be
freedom OF the seas. They continued
10 operate to the leeward OF the local
fishermen, and much to their disadvan-
ise
Another warning was sent. The
Portuguese ignored II and soon had
The fish under their dories and biting
hard. The Seabrighters continued to
lose the big fish. Some of the local
mariners weighed anchor and made for
The lone smack Albatross, where only q
few minutes before the dories came
sver the side
Local seamen went aboard and
pleaded with the skipper to recall his
men. Those OF the crew remaining on
the smack persuaded the skipper to do
noihlng Of the sort. and hostilities were
declared.
The remaining dory fishermen made
Or the smack to assist their colleagues
They were Immediately followed by the
rest Of the Seabright fishermen. who
we're operating on the rocks. Further
hostllties continued, Suddenly a smack
hove in sight from off shore. The skip
per Of the off shore boat, using field
glasses, observed the smack fsherman's
signals in the masts asking help.
Meanwhile hand to hand battling
started, and sharp knives were brought
into play by both sides. But the new
shock troops desired arbitration. and
forced the cessation Of hostilities. The
injured were taken below and received
first aid. An agreement for forty
eight hour armistice was introduced.
Tomorrow afternoon a high court will
sit on the Albatross. 1t will consist
Of officials delegated from pioneer skip
pers Of the fishing feet and unbiased
shippers Of the smack fishing feet will
arbitrate. The Portuguese assert they
have right to work anyone's Slick"
beyond the three mile limit. The local
mariners claim that the Portuguese
were decidedly within the three mile
rights and consequently have no right
conflicting with those who are obliged
to pay special taxes to operate within
this limit. They demand guarantees and
reparation.