Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/388

 336 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — NEWFOUNDLAND, ETC.

Of the imports (1919-20) the value of 4,637,074 dollars came from the United Kingdom ; 18,767,238 dollars from Canada ; 15,414,067 dollars from the United States. Of the exports the value of 6,411,967 dollars went to the United Kingdom; 2,602,859 dollars to Canada; 4,426,142 dollars to United States.

Shipping. — Total tonnage of vessels entered and cleared in 1918-19, 1,711,668 tons, of which 1,315,704 tons were British. Vessels registered December 31, 1919, 3,326 sailing vessels of 149,197 tons, and 136 steam vessels of 22,205 tons ; total, 3,462 vessels of 171,402 tons.

Fishing is the principal occupation of the population, the value of the fishing products being about two millions sterling annually.

By the Anglo-French Convention of 1904, France renounced her exclusive fishing rights under the treaty of Utrecht, but retained the right to fish in territorial waters from St. John's Cape northwards to Cape Ray for all sorts of fish, including bait and Crustacea. An agreement for the submission of the Newfoundland fisheries disputes to The Hague was concluded at Washington, January 27, 1909. The award was published in September, 1910, and was satisfactory to British claims. Among other things, it secured the right of Great Britain to make regulations without the consent of the United States, subject to any limitations imposed by treaty. It also confirmed Great Britain's contention that the whole extent of a bay from headland to headland is comprised Avithin territorial waters.

There were engaged in the bank cod fishery during 1919, 732 men, and 41 Newfoundland sailing vessels, aggregating 2,770 net tons, a decrease on 1918 of 208 men and 15 vessels of 1,134 tons. The catch in 1919 totalled 94,770 quintals of dry fish, valued at 1,137,240 dollars, as compared with 97,300 quintals, valued at 1,362,200 dollars, for the previous year. The out- put of the shore cod fishery is estimated at 1,347,070 quintals of dry fish, valued at 19,465,161 dollars. There were 14,870 small sailing vessels, boats (including motor boats), kc, utilised, and 37,550 men employed in this fishery. In 1919, the exports of codfish, including the Labrador fishery, amounted to 1,681,770 quintals. The catch of lobsters was 1,300,000 in 1915, 1,683,600 in 1916, 1,326,000 in 1917, 966,000 in 1918, and 670,000 in J 919,

In 1918, two vessels were engaged in the whale fishery ; the total catch was 101 whales, giving 64,913 gallons of oil. During 1920, 33.985 seals were caught, valued at 159,948 dollars; 9 vessels and 1,583 men were engaged in the seal fishery. In 1919 the catch was 81,293 seals.

Communications, &C. — Railways open 1919 : 904 miles of Govern- ment line with a gauge of 3 ft. 6 in. , and 47 miles of private line. By acts of the Newfoundland Legislature in 1910 an agreement was made by the Government for the construction and maintenance of five branch lines of railway running to Bonavista, Heart's Content, and Grate's Cove, Trepassey, Fortune Bay, and Bonne Bay. The Government agreed to pay the contractors 15,000 dollars a mile for construction and to give 4,000 acres of land per mile constructed for operation, to do which it raised by loan 3,893,200 dollars. The line to Bonavista was completed in 1911, the line to Trepassey in 1912, and the lines to Heart's Content and Grate's Cove in 1914. These lines open up various fertile sections of the island. Communication between various points on the coast and between the island and the continent is maintained by a fleet of 13 first-class steamers, each of which connects with some central point on the railway. Ther were in 1919, 891 post and telegraph offices. Letters and cards sent in 1919,