The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-07-29
EBENSBURG, THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1852.

is Fequred, ne is TO JOIN the Bermuda, and act
upon the orders already given to Lieut.. Jolly,
commander of that schooner
In order to provide early means of giving ad-
ditionai protection to the fisheries, pending the
arrlvaiof those vessels, / propose to despatch
Com. oochrane, Of the Sappho, on the 26th inst.
to st. Pierres and Miquelon, and from that vi
cinity 20 go to st. Johns, and put himself in
communication with your Exeellency or the ad-
ministtator."
In addition, we have an official despatch from
Mr.. Webster, in which he says that within a
short time, an American fishing vessel called the
Coral, belonging to Machias, in Maine, has been
seized N the Bay of Fundy, near Grand Menan,
by the officer commanding her Majesty's cutter
Netley already arrived in that bay, for an in
fractioa of the fishing convention, and the fish
ing vessel has carried to the port of ST. John,
N. B., where proceedings have been taken in
the Admiralty Court, with view to her con-
demnation and absolute forfeiture. Besides the
small naval force to be sent out by the i'm
perial government, the colonies are bestirring
themselves also for the protection of their fish
cries. Canada has fitted out an armed vessel.
to be stationed in the Gulf, and this vessel has
proceeded to the fishing grounds, having on
board not only naval commander and crew,
with power to seize vessels within limits but al
so sdpendiary magistrate and civil police, to
make prisoners of all who are found transgres-
sing tie laws of Canada, in order to their being
committed to- jail in that colony for trial
The colony of Newfoundland had fitted out an
armed vessel, for the purpose of resisting the
entertainments of French fishing vessels on the
coast Of Labrador, but, when ready to sail from
her port, the Governor of that colony, acting
under imperial instructions, refused to give the
commander of the colonial vessel the necessary
authority for making prize of French vessels
found trespassing.
This says Mr.. Webster sis an extraordinary
circum,tance, especially when taken in connec-
ton with the fact that the like authority TO
seize american fishing vessels under similar cir
cumstsnces, has never been refused to the crui-
sers Of the North American colonies The
colony of Nova Scotia has now four armed crui-
sers, well manned, on its coasts, ready to pounce
upon any American vessels that may accidental
ly or otherwise be found fishing within the lin
its defined by the crown officers of England
New Brunswick has agreed with Canada and
Nova Scotia to place a cutter in the Bay of Fun
dy, to look after American fishing there and at
Prince Edward Island, and her Majesty's steam
frigate Devastation has been placed under the
instruction of the Governor of that colony"
The vessels of war alluded to above, are ex-
pected to be on the coast of British North A
merica during the present month, July, when
merican fishing vessels, which, in the autumn,
pursue their business interests on the coast
from which, it is contended, they excluded
by the convention of 1918.
1t would seem that the English Government
has now, and under the present Derby Ministry
consented to give construction to the Conyen-
ton of 1918, for which the British Colonies i'm
mediately interested in the Fisheries viz New
Brunswick, Novia Scotia, Canada Prince Ed
wards Islands, Cape Breton, Newfoundland, sc.
have contended since 1S41-a construction which
if enforced, will have the effect of destroying
the fall fishing to American fisheries, and to
produce constant collisions of the most unplea-
SAINT collisions" in the language of
Mr. Webster, (Which may end the in destruction
of human life, and the involvement of the Gov
ernment in question of a very serious nature,
touching the peace of the two countries" 1t is
this language, and from so high a source which
imparts to this difficulty somewhat ominous
aspect. The American Government does not
agree with the construction put upon the treaty
by the present British Ministry, and viii imme-
dateiy direct its attention TO the whole subject.
1t should be remembered, that the sudden turn of
the consequences of the recent change in the
British Ministry, change, by the way, that is
not likely to prove very permanent. Under the
treaty of 1918, American fishermen had been
allowed to take fish on the coasts CT British A
merica in any waters three miles from the land.
On the accession of Lord Derby to the post of
Prime Minister, the British cabinet adopted
a new Interpretation of the treaty, by virtue of
which they have resolved to expel the Ameri-
cans from all fishing grounds within their large
bays, without any regard to their distance from
the shore The process of seizing American
fisherman on these grounds has already begun,
and all who venture within the waters covered
by the new pretensons of the British cabinet,
will be captured and condemned.
The facts may be summed up in few words
Under the old Interpretation OF the treaty OF
1918, American vessels were allowed to flsh III
cartain waters Under the new Interpretation
by Lord Derby and his colleagues, they are to
be driven out Armed cruisers are already on