"
"Why? Is it wrong to can lobsters?"
"On the French shore, it seems to be one of the greatest crimes a
person can commit, worse even than smuggling, and the chief duty of
British warships on this station is to break it up."
"Well, that beats all!" exclaimed Cabot. "Why is canning lobsters
considered so wicked?"
"I don't know that I can explain it very clearly," replied the young
skipper of the "Sea Bee," "but, so far as I can make out, it is this
way: You see, the west coast of Newfoundland is one of the best places
in the world for lobsters. So when the settlers there found they were
not allowed to make a living by fishing, they turned their attention to
catching and canning them. They thought, of course, that in this they
would not be molested, since the French right was only to take and dry
fish, which, in this country, means only codfish. They were so
successful at the new business that after a while the French also began
to establish lobster canneries. As no one interfered with them they
finally became so bold as to order the closing of all factories except
their own, and to actually destroy the property of such English
settlers as were engaged in the business. Then there were riots, and
we colonists appealed to Parliament for protection in our rights."
"Of course they granted it," said Cabot, who was greatly interested.
"Of course they did nothing of the kind," responded White, bitterly.
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