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the entire Portland shore in fishing lets, driving stakes as boundaries, and thence-forward these lots were commonly drawn^[1] along with the lots in front of the city proper. Litigation ensued, and a decision of the Supreme Court in May, 1801, was claimed by Hazen, Simonds and White as clearly showing that all land holders had the right of setting nets along the shore in front of their respective properties. An attempt, nevertheless, was made the same year by a number of St. John fishermen to occupy the Portland shore, and in the struggle that followed offences were committed against the law and convictions were had on both sides.

The old Portland grantees evidently had the sympathy of Governor Carleton and the majority of the Executive Council of the province, for on the 25th of February, 1802, they were granted a license of occupation by which they were allowed to possess and occupy the shores from high to low water mark in front of their respective lots between the falls and Portland Point. This license was issued in response to a memorial presented by Hazen, Simonds and White stating that doubts had arisen as to whether the boundary of their lands extended to low water mark, and in consequence great inconveniences had been experienced and animosities had arisen between the memorialists and the inhabitants of the city of St. John.

The action of Governor Carleton and his council in granting this license of occupation was a source of much dissatisfaction to the fishermen who had now for some years been in the habit of taking salmon and other fish along the Portland shore, employing both