Newfoundland in 1842; A Sequel to the Canadas in 1841. Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842 edition. Excerpt: ... which the French pretend to make to the northern and eastern coasts of the island, can scarcely, at present, be contended against by the British merchant. The Chamber of Commerce at St. John's sent a vessel to the French shore at one of the principal stations, (Croque, )in 1830, to try the question of British concurrent right of fishery and drying; but it was ordered off, and it was not deemed necessary to support the attempt. I do not exaggerate when I assert that Great Britain loses a revenue of about a million annually, by her generosity, and the oversight of former legislators. In fact, her fishermen catch only about one-third of the cod exported by them, by France, and by the United States. Moreover, she loses, for want of an adequate attention to the rearing of a hardy maritime population in Newfoundland, all that France gains by pursuing so wise a course. It was but last year that a fine French frigate touched at St. Pierre, upon the first rumour of continental difficulties, and carried off a cargo of excellent sea conscripts to man other vessels. As detailed facts are very excellently given in Montgomery Martyn's " British Colonies,1' I shall not tire the reader with long and intricate details from theFrench Minister of Marine's Expose, or the American Public Statements. It is sufficient to state that, so long ago as 1829, France employed nearly three hundred vessels, ships of from one to two hundred tons burthen, with from forty to one hundred and twenty men each, or twenty-five thousand well-disciplined sea-going fishermen. Now she has thirty thousand such sailors, principally from the ports of St. Maloes, Bourdeaux, Brest, and Marseilles; and even small shallops cross the Atlantic to St. Pierre. Some make two voyages to the banks, and...