CGS Petrel

CGS Petrel was a small Canadian Government Ship that patrolled the upper Great Lakes, from 1892 to 1904.^[1][2][3] Her main duties included fishery patrol. On August 12, 1903, the Petrel fired upon an American fishing vessel, Silver Spray, that appeared to be fishing in Canadian waters, off Long Point, in Lake Erie.^[4][5][6] A number of shots hit Silver Spray, and one American crew member was injured. The American Silver Spray evaded capture. Her captain would later claim she wasn't fishing in Canadian waters, that some of her nets had come adrift, and had drifted into Canadian waters.

The incident is said to have triggered Canada and the USA signing the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.^[4]

References

1. Thomas E. Appleton (2013-06-24). "USQUE AD MARE: A History of the Canadian Coast Guard and Marine Services". Canadian Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2014-05-18. The Petrel was built for Great Lakes fisheries protection. Proving too slow to cope with American fishing tugs, she was transferred to the Atlantic coast about 1904 on the grounds that she was fast enough to deal with schooners. The Vigilant took over the Great Lakes work.
2. "Violated Canadian Fishing Laws: American Vessels Seized by the Petrel Undoubtedly Transgressors". Amherstburg, Ontario: New York Times. 1894-05-09. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18.
3. "Petrel and Silver Spray: Canadian Government Wants a Full Report on Incident". Ottawa: Deseret News. 1903-08-20. p. 7. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
4. Kathy Warnes (2012-05-24). "Canadian and American Fishermen Fight a New Battle of Lake Erie". Maritime Moments. Archived from the original on 2013-06-01. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
5. "FIRES ON AMERICAN BOAT; Attack by Canadian Revenue Cutter on Lake Erie. Twenty Shots Hit the Fleeing Craft, and Cutter Tries to Ram Her -- State Department to be Appealed To.". Erie, PA: New York Times. 1903-08-12. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18. The Silver Spray. a fishing boat owned here, came into port this afternoon in a badly shattered condition, due to an encounter in midlake about noon with the Canadian revenue cutter Petrel.
6. "Silver Spray Incident: No Serious Question Likely to Arise from Firing on Poacher". Washington, DC: New York Times. 1903-08-13. p. 6. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18. Poachers in United States vessels have been subjected to the fire of Canadian revenue boats before, and have not made formal complaint, for the reason that they were properly made to feel the effect of police prosecution.