Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-24
THE NORTHEASTERN FISHERIES.


In the Immediately preceding column will be
found an article Of official character which origi-
This publication was obviously intended only as q
notification, or warning to those of our citizens on
land and sea who are interested in the fisheries that
measures more stringent than usual were likely to
be taken by the British Government to enforce such
rights of that Government and people on the fishing
grounds as are secured to them by the Treaty Of
1918. 1t is notice which it was proper should be
given to the Americans engaged in the Fisheries on
the coast of the British Colonies, that they might
not be taken unawares by unusual proceedings
The official article thus published was, the reader
will observe, prepared by the Secretary Of State,
now absent from the seat of Government and pub
ished in New England, earlier than it could have
been published here that it might the sooner reach
those American citizens interested in it. A copy
of it was of course forwarded to this city in advance
OF Its publication at Boston The fact Of such trans
mission Of it doubt gave rise to the following pa
ragraphs in the Boston Gazette Of Saturday evening
"A special messenger from Mr.. WEBSTER, who is at
present his farm in Franklin, New Hampshire passed
through the city this afternoon for Washington
bearing important dispatches affecting the future ela
tons Of this country and Great Britain.
We learn from undoubted authority that unexpected
troubles of serious nature consequent upon inter
probation put upon the Fishery Treaties by the Derby
Ministry threaten disturb the peaceful relations of the
two countries and also learn that the official
nication from the Department Of State at Washington
upon the subject has been received here and will be
al 81 Al
The publication of the official notification in the
Boston Courier was accompanied with remarks in
that paper, ALSO which put an entirely too grave
face upon the apprehended difference Of construction
Of the Treaty in regard to the rights of the two
countries in the Fisheries; such as, that "serious
assumed an alarming character, and threaten to
result in violence and bloodshed," &c.
A new construction, or an old one revived, is, it
seems sought to be put in force by the British
thortes to the effect that the bays which indent the
island of Newfoundland are not to be considered as
waters in which Americans and others are to be al
lowed to fish within three miles of the coast, but
that all fishing in such waters is to be excluded by
airines drawn from one headand to another of each
bay or estuary. 1t is curious fact, by the way,
against such construction that nothing is said of
it in the Treaty; nor is the word "headand" so
much as mentioned in it.
However the two Governments may settle this
question of construction, there is not the least
danger, with the good understanding and amicable
dispositions which exist between the two countries,
that it will lead to hostilities between them They
will probably, on due consideration, agree not to
differ about the construction of the Treaty. They
certainly viii not fight about it. For, should they
not agree the difference would be one to be left to
the arbitration of Doctors of Law, to that of some
friendly Power. To suppose aoar upon such
question, would be to suppose that the rulers of
both nations had parted with their senses Ours
have not, we are sure. Nor will they
Our views of the matter are, however, so precise
ly anticipated in the Baltimore American of Yesterday
that, without saying any thing more just now upon
the subject, we adopt them, as follows:
The difficulties between England and this coun-
try, which are heralded by the telegraph as likely
to grow out of the collision at the Magdaen Islands
between the English authorities and the Ameri-
can fishermen, not such, we apprehend, as need
give rise to any serious apprehensions. The sub
ject of these fisheries has heretofore been made
matter of treaty, and it will be easy, with the
rights of either party already well defined, to de-
eide which is now in the wrong. The interests in
controversy in any event Of too inconsiderable
nature to call for any arbitrament in their dis
cussion except that of the pen and it can scarcely
be expected that two nations occupying such posi-
tons IN the civilized world as England and the
United States, and which have heretofore amicably
settled much graver of dispute, will now be
drawn into contest destructive to the interests
OF both by question of such comparative unim-
portance. We may therefore set down the report
that troubles have arisen likely to disturb the
peace OF the two countries as highly -colored
description Of difficulty which will be easily and
promptly adjusted through the ordinary diplomatic
representatives Of the two Governments.