to attend this House this day, in order to their being examined upon the second reading of the Bill," entituled "An Act to restrain the Trade and Commerce of the Provinces of Massachusetts Bay and New-Hampshire, and Colonies of Connecticut and Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantation, in North America, to Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Islands in the West Indies; and to prohibit such Provinces and Colonies from carrying on any Fishery on the banks of Newfoundland, or other places therein mentioned, under certain conditions and limitations."

The House was adjourned during pleasure.

The House was resumed.

The Order of the Day being read for the second reading of the Bill;

Lord Camden delivered it as his opinion, that to save the House trouble, and afford every possible information to the Members, each witness in support of the allegations contained in the Petition of the North American Merchants, should have such questions propounded to him by Mr. Barclay, who had signed the Petitions, as he might think tended to throw light on the subject. Lord Camden observed that the House of Commons had adopted this method, and as for his part, he professed himself entirely unacquainted with the subject; he should be happy in having a sensible man propose such trading questions as might be most likely to obtain from the several evidences the information required.

The Earl of Suffolk declared, that what had fallen from the noble Lord who spoke last, contributed more than any tiling to confirm him in the vote he should give; for that the other House had permitted Mr. Barclay to question the evidence, was the very reason why he would wish to reprobate the adoption of a practice which stood unsupported by a single instance recorded in the Journals of the House. His Lordship therefore was for having the questions proposed in the usual mode by the House.

Lord Camden retorted, that as precedents, if good, merited every respectful attention, he sincerely hoped the House would not reject the adoption of a particular mode, merely because the Commons had thought fit to accept it in the examination of witnesses at their bar.

The Duke of Richmond was strenuous for finishing the altercation, by observing, that if the House really wished for information, the most likely method to obtain it, deserved the preference; and, in the noble Duke's opinion, it would much, better answer the proposed end, to have Mr. Barclay primarily propound the questions, than that that House should propose them at second hand. If, however, the latter method was agreed on, the noble Duke was ready to acquiesce, although it would detain the Members longer from that dinner, to which their hunger, betrayed in their petulance, stimulated them to repair.

The House rejecting the idea of Mr. Barclay propounding any questions to the witnesses, it was agreed that the usual forms of the House should be observed.

The Messengers sent to the House of Commons, to desire "That they will give leave to Sir Hugh Palliser and Molyneux Shuldham, Esquire, Members of that House, to attend their Lordships, in order to their being examined upon the second reading of the Bill," return answer, "That the Commons give leave for them to attend, if they think fit."

Then Seth Jenkins, a Quaker, was called in, and, upon his affirmation, acquainted the House "That he was a Mariner, and is well acquainted with the Island of Nantucket: that the number of inhabitants upon the said Island is between five and six; thousand, who are almost all employed in the Fisheries; that the number of Vessels belonging to the said Island is one hundred and forty sail, eight of which are employed in the Coasting Trade, and the rest in the Fisheries; that the said Island is about fifteen miles long, and three miles broad—distant from the Main seven leagues; that it has but one Harbour; that the produce of the said Island will not maintain above twenty families; that nine-tenths of the inhabitants are Quakers; that the Vessels employed in the Whale Fishery sail at all seasons; that the limits of the Whale Fishery extend to Falkland Islands, and the Coast of Africa; that their Fishing Vessels are generally twelve months on their voyage, sometimes fourteen months; that this Island is supplied with Corn from the Provinces of Carolina, New York, Virginia and Rhode-Island; that it is supplied with Manufactures from London; that all their Oil comes to Great Britain, except a little which is consumed in the Colonies; that if the inhabitants of this Island are restrained from Fishing, they would wait quietly till the Act was repealed, but that they could not subsist above a month; that the inhabitants might be under the necessity of removing from the Island, but would not go to Halifax, it being a Military Government; that the Vessels from England employed in the Whale Fishery, have little or no success in it, owing to their not understanding it; that this Island formerly belonged to the Province of New York—at present it belongs to Massachusetts Bay; that no other men would, if trade is stopped, carry on the Whale Fishery, as they don't understand the nature of it; that the people of Nantucket, if their Fishery is stopped, would not get employment from others; that their Craft would be entirely lost, as they could not get purchasers for them; that the lands in Nova Scotia are in general very barren, except some in the Bay of Fundy, and some German settlements: that the lands in the Bay of Fundy are fertilized by being often over-flowed; that the inhabitants of Nantucket are supplied with their materials for the Fishery from London; that they have no Stores laid in; that the Non-Importation Agreement in America would stop the Fishery in time; that the only materials for building their Fishing Vessels, got from London, were Sails and Rigging, that there is an Act which prevents the pressing of the men employed in the New England Fishery; that the money arising from this Fishery amounts to about £333,000; that the Quakers are of a peaceable disposition, and did not send any Delegates to the Congress; that they chose but one Representative; that they drink Tea; that they were no ways concerned in the destruction of the Tea; that they reside chiefly upon the Island, and are no great politicians; that he never heard of any persecution at Halifax on account of religion, but has heard formerly of persecution on account of religion at Massachusetts Bay; that though the people of Nantucket would not, by choice, go to another part of America, where the trade was restrained, yet they would prefer going there rather than to Halifax; that these people have not entered into any combination not to import Goods from Great Britain, and that they think this Bill will restrain them from Fishing after the first of June next."

Whereupon the clause in the Bill relating to the Island of Nantucket was read in the engrossed Bill, whereby it appeared that some words having, by mistake, been omitted in the printed Bill, was the reason of the witness's being of opinion, that this Bill would restrain them from any Fishery after the first of June next.

The witness being further examined, acquainted the House "That there are very few others than the Islanders

*Lord Rockingham moved that Mr. Barclay might be called and examined first; but on Mr. Barclay's declining to give evidence, (not having personal knowledge of the facts) Mr. Jenkins was called.

Duke of Richmond. What is your profession?

Jenkins. A Mariner, in the Newfoundland Fishery; a Master of a Vessel.

Duke of Richmond. Do you know the Island of Nantucket?

Jenkins. Yes I do.

Duke of Richmond. How many inhabitants has it?

Jenkins. Six or seven thousand.

Duke of Richmond. By what do they exist?

Jenkins. The Fishery of Cod, and of Whale, &c.

Duke of Richmond. What is the size of that Island?

Jenkins. Fifteen miles long, and three broad.

Lord Camden. From whence are the inhabitants, fed?

Jenkins From the Main, from Jersey, New-York, &c.

Lord Camden. Do they not grow Corn and Provisions to feed themselves?

Jenkins Not enough to feed twenty families.

Lord Shelburne. If this Bill passes will it not injure them greatly?

Jenkins. Certainly.

Lord Shelburne How?

Jenkins. They must migrate or starve.

Lord Shelburne. Where will they migrate?

Jenkins. To the other Colonies in New England.

Lord Townshend. Will they not settle in Nova Scotia?

Jenkins. No.

Lord Townshend. Why not?

Jenkins. It is a barren country, and the Government, they think, is Military.

Lord Townshend. Did you never hear of that tract of land on the Bay of Fundy, which belonged to the neutrals—cleared, but not settled?