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Fishing expeditions were significant collective
ventures. European coastal fishermen could not undertake them
alone.
 xpeditions organized
for large-scale exploitation of schools of fish on the edge of
the new world were financed by rich merchants, and sometimes by
several partners capable of outfitting an ocean-going vessel.
Companies were created especially for this type of venture.
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Flyboat, a dry-fishery vessel, 18th century
From Traité général des pesches,
by Duhamel du Monceau, 1772
(National Library of Canada)
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The crews of the ships in the Newfoundland fishery consisted of
sailors, fishermen, salters, shore workers, apprentices and boys,
who laboured under the command of a captain, or the orders of a
pilot and a few petty officers. Depending on the size of the
crew, royal ordinances sometimes required that there be a surgeon
and a chaplain on board. One looked after the bodies; the other,
after the souls. When the ship returned to port, one-fifth of the
profits of the expedition was usually given to the fishermen.
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Ship of 100 tons from Saint-Malo for use in the
dry fishery, 18th century
From Traité général des pesches,
by Duhamel du Monceau, 1772
(National Library of Canada)
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Translation of a shipping company act:
On this day of March 18, 1735, appearing before the Lieutenant-General is
Nicollas Gallien, Sieur de Baspré, a merchant residing in this city
who is part owner of Le Marc, a new vessel from Saint-Malo of about 205
tons that he is outfitting and sending to Grande-Baye [the coast of Labrador]
under the command of Sieur des Cerisier Lepelley. The party appearing today
has named the following people as partners:
Sieur Quinette de Préville for two thirty-seconds |
2/32 |
Sieur de Cerisier Lepeley for one thirty-second |
1/32 |
Sieur Hernopoue two thirty-seconds |
2/32 |
Sieur Étienne Ribart one thirty-second |
1/32 |
Jeanne du Val two thirty-seconds |
2/32 |
Sieur de la Cité Roce one thirty-second |
1/32 |
Sieur Claude La Questice for one thirty-second
will be paid by the party appearing here |
22/32
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Who has agreed not to sell any share to any third party who does not reside in
the kingdom, under threat of penalty as specified in the letters patent issued
by the king on March 1, 1716. And signed after the present was read to him.
BASPRÉ GALLIEN
In witness whereof we have issued this act to present and use as required.
JGOUIN GMOREAU
Excerpt from the register of acts of new companies and statement of interest
in ships, Archives de l'Amirauté de Saint-Malo, 9 B 170 (May 1731-March 1740),
folio 22 verso.
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