land Fishery, is not one eighth part of the Corn and Flour imported from the Southern Colonies.

Q. Is not part of the Exports to Spain the manufacture of New England?

A. No.

Q. Does he know whether the Debt due to the Merchants of Great Britain is regularly paid or not?

A. They have been paid with less punctuality for the four or five years last past than before.

Q. To what do you attribute that?

A. To their having imported, in the years 1770, 1771, and 1772, more Goods than was sufficient for their market.

Q. Do the Merchants of England still continue to trust the Americans?

A. I know of no instance of their having refused to give them credit.

Q. Whether this Bill will enable the Merchants to pay their debts better?

A. Certainly not. The alteration will be quite the reverse, arid will cut off the source of payment.

Q. Does he understand the state of the French Fishery on Newfoundland?

A. Not particularly; but have learn't from our Fishermen that they have of late increased it.

Q. If the Fishery from New England was stopped, would not the French have a part of it?

A. Suppose they might.

Q. Is he acquainted with the method of the French Fishery?

A. Yes.

Q. Do the French fish for themselves, or buy it of the New England Fishermen?

A. I never heard of their buying any.

Q. Can the French cure the Fish as well as New England men?

A. I don't imagine they can; for the same reason that the, Newfoundland Fish is not so well cured, the climate belong more subject to fogs.

Q. Whether, if the Provinces are restrained from fishing, their nets would not rot, and materials become unserviceable?

A. They certainly would very soon.

Q. Whether, if this Bill takes place, the Provinces would be in distress for want of Provisions?

A. I imagine they will.

Q. Whether the people of Nantucket who follow the Whale Fishery, will not be ruined by its being stopped?

A. They must be entirely ruined.

Q. Could the people of Great Britain cure the Fish as well as the New England men?

A. They may as dry, but the quality of the Fish will be inferiour.

Q. Is there not a Coast Fishery for the supply of fresh Fish?

A. A vast deal. In the sea-ports of Massachusetts Bay, quarter of the people live on fresh Fish.

Q. Does it extend to the four Provinces?

A. Not in the same degree.

Q. What would become of those articles, Potash, &c, if not exported?

A. I suppose the manufacture of Pot and Pearl-ash would cease till the trade opened again.

Q. Whether the Non-Exportation Agreement would not affect the Merchants here, as much as the Bill?

A. I believe not; those articles being not above three-twentieths of the whole.

Q. Does he know any thing of the sale of the Fish in the Spanish Ports, and of the consumption inland?

A. Yes.

Q. Whether the New England Fish is sent as far inland as the Newfoundland Fish?

A. The early spring Fish from New England is sent further, it being much tougher, and for this quality a much greater price is given than for the Newfoundland Fish.

Q. Do you know this to be fact?

A. I do.

Q. Whether Fish cured in Newfoundland is carried to Portugal, and thence to the Brazils?

A. Can't say.

Q. Whether the Non-Importation Agreement will not prevent their sending the Fish to the West India Islands?

A. Apprehend not.

Withdrew.

Mr. John Lane.

He is a New England Merchant.

Q. What sum of Money is due to London only from the four Provinces in New England?

A. I believe there may be near a million of Money due.

Q. Whether remittances made from those Provinces for the last twelve months, have not been as good as heretofore?

A. I found no great difference.

Q. Whether, in case no interruption is given to the trade to New England, that his house will not as freely give credit to their correspondents there as heretofore?

A. Certainly I should trust them as usual, if there was no interruption in the trade.

Q. How are the remittances usually made?

A. In Oil, Pot and Pearl Ashes, Whale Fins, and from returns for the Cod Fishery from Portugal and Spain.

Q. Whether the returns are not chiefly made from the Fishery?

A. I take the Cod Fishery to be one third, or near one half.

Q. To what sums have those returns amounted in a year?

A, The Cod Fishery is about 220,000 or; £230,000, and that is half nearly of the remittances; the other articles are as follows: from New England, from May, 1772, to May, 1773, in Oil, near £ 100,000; in Pot and Pearl Ash, near £40,000; Furs, £75,000; Whale Fins, £5,000; Lumber, £3,500.

This is to the Port of London only.

The whole amount is about £155,000.

From May, 1773, to May, 1774, the quantity and value was increased; Oil, £114,640; Pot and Pearl Ash, £35,800; Furs, £9,300; Whale Fins, £3,500; Lumber, £2,500.

Q. What sum does he think might be returned in these articles in that year?

A. I apprehend about £420,000.

Q. How long has the debt of £1,000,000 been accruing?

A. It is very difficult to say; but I suppose a debt to such an amount might accrue in less than three years.

Q. Is not interest paid after the year's credit expires?

A. Yes.

Q. Is it punctually paid?

A. Our interest is paid on a running account; and if we are ever paid, we are paid interest as well as principal.

Q. Can a constant losing trade be carried on?

A. We have other resources in this trade; namely, in Ships built purposely for sale, with their freights from the West Indies, besides Bills of Exchange in return for Lumber; but the Lumber is to no great amount.

Q. Does this trade yield a profit?

A. It certainly does.

Q. Whether the interest on the principal is not included in the remittances?

A. It certainly is.

Q. How long has the debt of one million been accruing?

A. It is impossible to answer that question; believe I can only speak with respect to myself; we never tell one another how long our debts have been due.

Q. Whether you give more than one year's credit?

A. Never; but we think ourselves well paid if we receive our money in two years, and then expect interest on our principal.

Q. Whether the Merchants of New England must not be ruined, and become incapable of paying their debts, if this Bill should pass?

A. Yes, if it is carried into a law and remain so.

Q. Whether the nine-tenths of all the remittances are not conveyed by means of the Fisheries?

A. I have made no calculation of it, but believe it is not much short of it.

Q. You said that the amount of the Fisheries came to about £220,000 in one year?

A. I mean only the Cod Fishery, and not the Whale