1242 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Mar. 23

Another subject of discussion was the punishment
for violations of the cull law in the Potomac. Under
the present provisions of the law, offenders from either
State when apprehended have the right to be tried
before a magistrate of their own State. Maryland
oystermen claim that the Virginia magistrates have
been entirely too lenient in imposing fines for viola-
tions of the law, thus encouraging the Virginia oys-
termen to disregard the law. On the other hand, the
Maryland magistrates have enforced the law vigorous-
ly and have compelled a wholesome respect for its
provisions. The committees agreed to make the pen-
alties for the violation of the law the same in both the
States and that offenders should be taken before the
nearest magistrate, no matter of which State they
happen to be citizens.

Sub-committees were appointed to meet at a later
date to formulate appropriate laws to cover the points
agreed to as above stated, the sub-committee named
on the part of Maryland, being Hon. Charles S. Gra-
son, Hon. Jacob M. Moses and Hon. William F. Apple-
garth.

The sub-committee made frequent efforts to meet
the Virginia sub-committee, but without success, and
it has therefore been impossible to draft and have en
acted laws which will prove of great advantage and
profit to those engaged and interested in taking
oysters in the waters common to the two States.

The committee has just been informed that the Leg-
islature of Virginia at its recent session, before ad-
journing, continued the existence of its committee, to
the end that a further conference may be held with the
Maryland committee for the purpose of drafting laws
covering the points hereinbefore referred to.

The committee therefore recommends that your
Honorable body continue its existence for a further
period of two years in order that proper laws may be
drafted for introduction at the next session of the
General Assembly.

The committee has in hand an unexpended balance
which it hopes will be sufficient to entertain the Vir-
ginia Committee during its proposed visit to Annapo-
lis in the near future.