§ SIR C. W. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received information as to the recent incident on the coast of Newfoundland, when the Commander of H.M.S. Pelican interfered with certain lobster-catching engines?
§ MR. S. BUXTONThe information on the subject is now to hand. The incident was purely British, and the French were not concerned. The late Commodore, to prevent disputes, defined the fishing grounds assigned to the different British lobster factories, which under the modus vivendi were allowed to continue in operation. This year the manager of one British factory encroached upon his neighbour's water, and, on his refusing to remove the lobster traps, obedience was enforced by the Commander of the Pelican, and the owner was informed that he must confine his operations to his own water.