Having brought down this history to the period, when an attempt was made to afford some sort of civil government to Newfoundland, I shall make a short pause in the narrative; and call the reader’s attention to some few documents, that will more strongly impress upon his mind the actual state of things in that island, and the pressing necessity there was for the interposition of the parliament, or of the executive government, to correct abuses, and establish some sort of regular authority. I have before given a particular account of the enormities subsisting within three years after passing Stat. 10 & 11 Will. 3, from a letter written by a person then confided in by the government at home; I mean Mr. Larkin[35]. It is very plainly to be collected, from the representation made by that gentleman, that this statute was ineffective and inadequate from the very beginning. What is inapplicable in its origin, is not likely to become more useful in a course of time. It will be found, in fact, that in all the time that elapsed between passing that act, and the year 1729, disorder and anarchy increased more and more; and nothing remained but to try another system.
The documents I shall produce will be extracts from the correspondence and communications made by the commodores and commanders on the Newfoundland station, to the board of trade. In these it will be seen, what was the nature of the disorders and irregularities committed in the island; and it will appear how very inadequate was the authority and jurisprudence conferred by the statute of King William, and how ill the authority and jurisdiction so given, was administered.
Disorders in Newfoundland, and conduct of the fishing admirals during this period.
One of the correspondents writes in this manner.—“The admirals which are appointed by the Newfoundland act, to decide differences, in relation to fishing-rooms, &c. have entirely neglected it in all its parts. Indeed, at their first arrival, they claim their prerogative, as by the said act, as far as it suits with their own interest and no further; except a particular friend of theirs should arrive with a fishing ship; in such case should the ships fishing rooms of that harbour be taken up before he arrives, they often remove some planter or other for him, pretending that the planter’s title is not good to the room he possesses, when the commanders of men of war, some years before, adjudged it to be the said planter’s right.”
“These things are often done, and several of the inhabitants’ fishing voyages ruined thereby. It is common, that what is done one year, in relation to fishing rooms, is contradicted the next; so that the fishing-rooms, are not settled to this very day. Many times these admirals never were in the land before, nor knew any thing of the matter; in which case some old west country master commonly takes care that the said admiral do nothing but what he pleases.—Those are the patrons that are commonly called kings in that country, who sacrifice other people’s interest frequently to serve their own. The admirals are some of the first men to cut down the roofs of their stages, cook-rooms, and flakes, which paves the way for the inhabitants to follow their example, who in the winter season generally carry away all the remainder. It is certain the admirals are seldom or never at leisure to hear any complaints whatsoever, except one of their favourites is the plaintiff[36].”
“The masters of ships in Newfoundland generally endeavour to force their goods upon the inhabitants, especially the poorer sort, who generally pay dearest. Say they, if he makes a good voyage, we shall be all paid; and if he does not (says every one to himself) I will be quick enough to get my payment. By this means they have a jealous eye, the one over the other. If the fishing does not prove so good as was expected, some of these matters will fall upon them, before the fishing season is half over, take away their fish before half made; another comes and takes away his train; and many times there comes a third, who has more men than they, and takes it away from the former; he that has most men is sure to have the greatest share. This is a common practice in Newfoundland. They never acquaint the admirals with this proceeding before they do it; neither do the admirals trouble themselves with it afterwards. But the consequence lies here; the planters’ men will catch no more fish, because they have no hopes of getting any wages; the planter is ruined, and all the rest of the creditors unpaid; who, if they had given him the liberty to make his fishing-voyage, might have paid them all. The merchants of England have suffered exceedingly by this unparalleled thing, there being no precedent for it in the whole Christian world. I am fully satisfied that by this thing, and the multiplicity of liquors imported into Newfoundland yearly, the trade thereof has suffered more, than by the French plundering it so often in the late wars.”
“It is most certain that the admirals in Newfoundland have never taken any care about the good of that trade; and their reasons generally given for it are, that they come to Newfoundland to mind their owner’s business; and as nothing was allowed them for defraying the charges of keeping courts, they could not do it[37].”
Another writes thus.—“But what I would more particularly represent to their lordships, is the clandestine and illegal commerce carried on between the New England men, and several of the British masters, especially the fishing admirals; who after they have, according to the act, qualified themselves in England for fishing ships, depart for France, Spain, or Portugal, where they freight with wines and brandies; which early in the year they carry directly to Newfoundland; and either dispose of to the planters, or barter with the New England-men for the produce of the plantations. By these means Newfoundland is not only supplied with these foreign European commodities, but it is become a mart, from whence other American plantations are (in fraud of his majesty’s duties) in a good measure furnished.”
“As the admirals are chiefly concerned in this unfair trade, so their tyranny and oppression in the harbours, where there are none of his majesty’s ships, is not to be reckoned amongst the least causes of the decay of the fishery; those who labor in it, having learnt by experience, that the rule of their decision is their private interest, and that fishermen are not to expect any justice from them. This contributes to a scarcity of men, which occasions wages to be so extravagant, that the fish which they catch is often not sufficient to pay the servants. And the inhabitants are thereby so much discouraged, that there have not been half the number of boats employed by them as formerly.”