Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/444

416 to the Sugar Islands and the heavy duty Imposed on Foreign Sugars will destroy our Navigation and Fishery and will prevent any but the finest sorts being Imported into America, and thereby give the french the advantage of Manufacturing them.

The deeming all sugars imported from the Continent french prevents a valuable return to G. B. for her Manufactures.

The great care of the officers in America in Loading Vessels there makes it needless for those vessels to call and unload at G. B. occasions so large an expence, as entirely to destroy that Trade.

The multiplicity of Bonds occasions an expense equal to the first cost of the Lumber and some of them are twelve months before they are cancelled. Another Grievance is the unlimited power of the officer to carry the vessel he seizes into what Port he pleases in the Continent, and after miscarrying in a tedious process is liable to no cost.

Your Memorialist's Constituents further observe that in those Ports where a regular Custom House is settled the Naval Officer may be removed.

Another difficulty is on their Trade to Spain and Portugal by the Ships from thence being obliged to stop in England, by which fruit and other perishable comodities are liable to be spoiled, by the length of the voyage.

But the grand matter of Complaint is the Restraint laid on their Fishery, no American being suffered to take Cod in the Straits of Belisle, or on Labrador shore, and thereby rendering our new watery acquisitions entirely useless, and the Restraint itself be attended with a very large expence, and instead of endeavoring to make the most of that extensive Fishery, it is become a scene of Violence between the Europeans and Americans — the interruption of the Fishery is weakening our Naval Power and depriving the Americans of the most valuable source for taking of and paying for the Manufactures of G. B.

Your Memorialist takes the liberty to lay before your Lordship a few Sentiments relating to the Fishery, that inexhaustable fund of Riches and power to G. B. this valuable Treasure may be viewed in a two fold light, as a Nursery for Seamen and as occasioning a Consumption and affording means to pay for our Manufactures.

The Fishery carried on from G. B. to America may produce a Number of Seamen for the speedy manning a fleet, the N. E. fishery in the Straits of Belisle is absolutely necessary for furnishing Sailors either for