History of the government of the island of Newfoundland / With an appendix containing the Acts of Parliament made respecting the trade and fishery

by John Reeves

We find, in after times, the captains of the king’s ships used to oblige every New England master of a ship to give such bond, in a penalty of five hundred pounds, with two sureties in two hundred and fifty pounds each, not to carry any persons out of the island.

As to the fishery, he did not hear of more than one New England vessel fishing on the coast. Indeed it appears, that their fishery was all carried on upon their own coast, where they had better fish, and that they looked to Newfoundland for nothing but the sort of traffic above-mentioned.

He informs us, that the inhabitants and planters of Newfoundland were poor, indigent, and withall a profuse sort of people, that cared not at what rates they got into debt, nor what obligations they gave, so they could have credit. But the seizing of their fish for debt, seemed to this gentleman to be both irregular and unjust, as to the time and manner of doing it; for the fishermen seeing the flakes stript before the fishing season was half over, were discouraged from proceeding any further; which often proved the ruin and overthrow of several planters’ voyages.

Debts used not to be paid till the 20th of August; but, for two and three years, he says, the flakes had been stript by night, and the fish carried off in June and July, without weighing. A second had come, and taken it from the first—the planter had had twenty or thirty quintals of fish spoiled in the scuffle, and the rest of his creditors were forced to go without any satisfaction. The poor fishermen, who helpt to take the fish, had, on these occasions, gone without one penny of wages—salt provisions and craft being always payable before wages; and he expresses astonishment, how the planters and inhabitants could procure hands from England to fish for them, considering how ill they used them.

Character of the fishing admirals.

Where complaints of this sort had been made to the commander in chief, he had ordered them to re-deliver the fish, and a dividend to be made. But there being five or six and twenty different harbours, besides coves, and it being a great distance from Bonavista and Fermose, to St. John’s to make complaints, the commander could do little; and the admirals, he says, did not concern themselves at all, but left all to the commander. These admirals, says he, ought to see to the preservation of the peace and good government among the seamen and fishermen, that the order and regulation of the fishery be put in execution; and they should keep journals: but instead of this, they were the first to break these orders, and there was not one of them, where he had been, who had kept any journal at all.

He observes, that the late act of king William gave the planters a title, and it was a pity but that they had some laws and rules by which they should be governed; though, he says, it was the opinion of all, since he had come there, that it had been better, if all plantations had been discouraged, for the island was then become a sanctuary and place of refuge for all people that broke in England. Besides, the masters of the fishing ships encouraged several of their men to stay behind, persuading them they would soon get estates there; and this they did merely to save the charge of their passage back to England.

Character of the Commanders.

It had been customary for the commander in chief, upon complaints made, to send his lieutenants to the several harbours and coves, to decide all differences and disputes that happened between masters of merchant ships and the inhabitants, and between them and their servants; this gentleman declares it a shame to hear how matters had been transacted upon such occasions. He that made a present of the most quintals of fish, was sure to have the determination in his favour. He says, the whole country exclaimed against the lieutenants in Captain Poulton and Captain Fairbourne’s time; and did not scruple to declare, that some former commanders in chief had been a little faulty. He says, the then commander, Captain Graydon, had taken much pains to do the country justice, and to settle religion amongst them, and people seemed well satisfied with him. He says, there had never been any registry kept of the orders or rules that had been made for the good of the fishery. What one commander in chief had established, another had vacated; he says, he had prevailed with the present commander to leave an abstract of all such as had been made during his time.