Q.  What  makes  things  come  so  much  higher  now?  A.  At
that  time  we  had  no  riparian  rights  to  fight,  that  is  the  idea  ;  it
seems  as  though  at  the  present  day  there  are  about  twenty-five  or
thirty  that  have  bought  up  our  natural  oyster  beds.
BENJAMIN    EOEAY.  657

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  riparian  rights  to  fight?  A.  The
Riparian  CommissionerB  have  sold  to  certain  parties  our  natural
oyster  beds ;  they  have  given  them  a  right  to  take  a  part  of  our
natural  oyster  beds.
Q.  And  so  you  want  more  money  to  fight  the  grantees  of  the
Riparian  Commissioners  ?     A.  Yes,  sir.
Q.  (By  Chairman  Voorhees) — Why  don't  you  repeal  the  law,
or  attempt  to?     A.  We  have  been  trying.
Q.  Then  you  have  got  the  Delaware  Bay  Association  into  a
fight  with  the  Riparian  Commissioners  of  New  Jersey  ?  A.  On
account  of  the  Riparian  Commissionere — riparian  owners.
Q.  Actually  had  a  fight  down  there  a  while  ago,  and  some
guns  were  fired?     A.  Yes,  sir.
Q.  (By  Senator  Skirm) — ISTobody  hurt,  though  ?     A.  No,  sir.
Q.  No  militia  called  out?  A.  No,  sir;  considerable  news-
paper talk.
Q.  There  were  guns  fired  on  the  shore?  A.  It  was  done  for
a  scare ;  yes,  sir.
Q.  I  should  say  it  would  be  a  scare ;  it  would  be  for  me,  to
have  a  gun  pointed  at  me?  A.  If  this  money  wasn't  raised  for
that  purpose  our  oyster  beds  would  soon  go  into  the  hands  of  a
few  men.
