Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/239

FISHERIES 231 imported salt used in the cure was substituted. The bounties to vessels were abolished by the act of July 28, 1866, but the duties on foreign salt used in curing fish were remitted. An act of 1817 required the master and three fourths of the crew to be citizens of the United States, to entitle the vessel to bounty ; but this act was repealed, except as to the master, in 1864. By an act of 1789, vessels of 20 tons and up- ward destined for the fishery were required to be enrolled, and they as well as registered ves- sels might be licensed for one year, which ex- empted them from the necessity of entering and clearing during that period. Vessels of from 5 to 20 tons were required to be licensed. The act of 1793 required vessels of 20 tons and upward to be enrolled and licensed, and those of less than 20 tons to be licensed. In 1828 an act was passed requiring a special license for vessels employed in the mackerel fishery ; and in 1836 such vessels were given the privi- lege of engaging in the cod or other fishery, but they were not entitled to the bounty. During the war with England in 1812-'15 the British cruisers kept the fishermen from the distant fishing grounds. Many of them en- tered the navy, and the frigate Constitution was chiefly manned by them, while great num- bers engaged in privateering. In the negotia- tions for peace the British endeavored in vain to procure from the United States a relinquish- ment of their right to the fishing grounds, and maintained, after peace was concluded, that the state of hostilities had abrogated the con- cession of rights made in 1783. Discussions ensued between the two governments, which resulted in 1818 in a convention, by which it was agreed that the Americans should have the liberty of taking fish on the S. coast of Newfoundland between Cape Ray and the Ra- meau islands ; from Cape Ray to the Quirpon islands ; on the shores of the Magdalen isl- ands; and also on the S. coast of Labrador from Mount Joly to and through the strait of Belle Isle, and thence northward indefinitely along the coast. The United States on their part renounced formally the right of fishing on or within three marine miles of the British do- minions in America not included in the above specified limits. In the summer of 1852 serious troubles broke out between the American fish- ermen and the British authorities, who claimed the right to exclude the former from the bays and inlets of the British possessions. The dis- pute was temporarily settled by mutual con- cessions, and in 1854 a reciprocity treaty was agreed upon by the two countries, containing the following stipulations concerning the fish- eries, in addition to those contained in the con- vention of 1818: "The inhabitants of the United States shall have, in common with the subjects of her Britannic majesty, the liberty to take fish of every kind except shell fish on the sea coasts and shores, and in the bays, har- bors, and creeks of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward island, and of the several islands thereunto adjacent, without be- ing restricted to any distance from the shore, with permission to land upon the coasts and shores of those colonies, and the islands there- of, and also upon the Magdalen islands, for the purpose of drying their nets and curing their fish." It was specified that the liberty thus granted should apply solely to sea fisher- ies, and not to salmon, shad, or other river fisheries; and that the fishermen should not interfere with the rights of private property, or trespass on parts of the shore occupied by British fishermen. Similar rights, with similar reservations, were granted to British fishermen on the E. coast of the United States N. of lat. 36. This treaty was terminated March 17, 1866, by virtue of notice given by the United States, March 17, 1865, pursuant to one of its provisions. In 1870 difficulties again arose be- tween the United States and Great Britain re- specting the fisheries, in consequence of cer- tain unfriendly acts of the provincial authori- ties, and in 1871 the stipulations of the treaty of 1854 given above were revived by the treaty of Washington, which also provided that " fish oil and fish of all kinds, except fish of the in- land lakes and of the rivers falling into them, and except fish preserved in oil, being the pro- duce of the fisheries of the United States, or of the Dominion of Canada, or of Prince Edward island, shall be admitted into each country, re- spectively, free of duty." The rights of Brit- ish subjects on the coast of the United States were, however, restricted to that portion N. of the 39th parallel. The necessary laws having been passed by the several countries, these provisions went into operation July 1, 1873, to remain in force for the period of ten years thereafter, and further until the expiration of two years after the United States or Great Britain shall have given notice to terminate them. It was provided that, with the consent of the United States and Great Britain, these stipulations might extend to Newfoundland, and a colonial act was passed March 28, 1874, to carry them into effect. Mackerel were early caught by the New England col- onists, and the fishery soon assumed consider- able importance. They were probably at first taken in seines, nets, and boats from the shore, but before the revolution fleets of sloops were engaged in the fishery, and in 1770 not fewer than 100 vessels were employed in Massachu- setts. The use of vessels appears subsequently to have declined, and to have been revived about the beginning of the present century. Mackerel are caught on the coast of New Eng- land and as far S. as the entrance of Chesa- peake bay, but the most productive fisheries are in the bay of Chaleurs and the gulf of St. Lawrence. From 1765 to 1775 Massachusetts employed annually in the cod fishery an average of 665 vessels, having an aggregate tonnage of 25,630, and manned by 4,405 men, and export- ed 178,800 quintals offish to Europe and 172,- 500 quintals to the West Indies. From 1786