No. 217.
Mr. Bayard to Sir L.
West.
Washington, September 10, 1886.
Sir: It is my duty to ask you to bring to the attention of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government the treatment lately experienced by an American fishing vessel, the Mollie Adams, of Gloucester, Mass., at the hands of the collector of customs at Port Mulgrave, in the Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia.
By the sworn statement of Solomon Jacobs, master of the schooner Mollie Adams, it appears that on the 31st ultimo, whilst on his homeward voyage laden with fish from the fishing banks, he was compelled to put into Port Mulgrave to obtain water, and duly made report and entry at the custom-house. The water-tank of the vessel having been burst in his voyage by heavy weather and thus rendered useless, he asked permission of the collector to purchase two or three barrels to hold a supply of water for his crew on their homeward voyage of about 500 miles.
This application was refused and his vessel threatened with seizure if barrels were so purchased. In consequence the vessel was compelled to put to sea with an insufficient supply of water, and in trying to make some other port wherein to obtain water a severe gale was encountered which swept away his deck-load of fish and destroyed two seine boats.
This inhospitable, indeed inhuman, conduct on the part of the customs officer in question should be severely reprimanded, and for the infraction of treaty rights and commercial privileges compensation equivalent to the injuries sustained will be claimed from Her Majesty’s Government.
I have, &c.,