The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-21

no organ here, and therefore, ASKS Vi US the cour
tesy which we cannot refuse.
(oFFycIAL
The American Fisheries.
Threatened Difficulties with England.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, July 6, 1861.
Information of an official character has been
received at this department to the following eff
feet The late ministry Of England was op
posed to the granting of bounties, on principle
and in consequence, it steadily refused to give
the necessary assent to the acts Of the colonial
Legislature granting bounties to the fisheries.
The colonies complained severaly of this in
reference with their local affairs, and they fur
ther complain that the government declined to
enforce the provisions Of the fishery convention
of 1918, and thereby permitted American fisher
man to encroach upon the best fishing grounds,
from which, under the legal construction of the
treaty, they ought to be excluded.
With the recent change of ministry in Eng.
land, has occurred an entire change of policy.
The present Secretary Of State for the Colo iss,
letter to the governors of the several North
American colonies, an extract Of which is as
follows:
"Among the many pressing subjects which
have engaged the attention of Her Majesty's
ministers, since their assumption of Office, few
have been more important, in their estimation,
than the question relating to the protection So
licited for the fisheries of the coasts of British
North America. Her Majesty's government
have taken into their serious consideration the
presentations upon this subject, contained in
your dispatches noted in margin, and have not
failed to observe that, whilst active measures
have been taken by certain Colonies, for the
purpose of encouraging their fisheries and re-
polling the intrusion Of foreign vessels, it has
been a subject Of complaint that impeachment,
should have been offered by the policy of the
imperial government to the enactment of boun.
ties, considered by the local legislatures essen.
tial for the protection Of this trade. Her Males.
ty's ministers are DESTROYS of removing all
grounds of complaint on the part of the Colonies,
in consequence Of encouragement of the fishing
vessels of the United States upon waters from
which they are excluded by the terms of the
convention of 1878; and they therefore intend
to despatch, as soon as possible, small naval
force of steamers, or other vessel., to enforce
the observance of that convention"
This announcement is accompanied by the
following, as to bounties:
WIN ICkntO w t,io 4ucoIVH VI pEOmOtIuS
the fshe ries of the British Colonies, by the
means of bounties. Her Msjesty's government,
though DESTROYS to sanction any necessary de-
Walton from the policy which regulates the COM
merce of this country, are still disincned TO
prevent these colonies, by interpositon of i'm
perial authority, and especially pending the ne.
gotiation with the United States Of America, for
the settlement Of the principles of which the
commerce Of the British North American Colo
MES is hereafter to be carried on from adopting
the policy which they may deem most conduc.
i've to their own prosperity and welfare"
Meantime, and within the last ten days, ar
American fishing vessel, called the Coral, be-
longing to Machias, in Maine, has been seized
in the Bay of Fundy, near Grand Menan, by the
officer commanding her Majesty's cutter Netley
already arrived in that bay, for an infraction OF
the fishing convention, and the fishing vessel has
been carried to the port of St John, N. b,
where proceedings have been taken in the admi-
rally court, with view to her condemnation and
absolute forfeiture. Besides the small naval
force to be sent out by the imperial government,
the colonies are bestirring themselves also for
the protection of their fisheries Canada has
fitted out All armed vessel, to be stationed in the
Gulf, and this vessel has proceeded to the fish
ing grounds, having on board not only naval
COuudUuoE duu CIoW, Will pOW6T W otILo Veb-
sells within limits, but also stipendary magis-
trate and civil police, to make prisoners of all
who are found transgressng the 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
encroachments 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 is an extraordinary
circumstance, especially when taken in connec
ton with the fact that the like authority to seize
American fishing vessels under similar circum
stances, has never been refused to the cruisers
of any of the North American colonies. The
colony of Nova Scotia has now four armed CRUZ
sers, well manned, on its coasts, ready to pounce
upon any American vessels who may, accden-
tally or otherwise, be found fishing within the
limits defined by the crown officers of England
New Brunswick has agreed with Canada and
Nova Scotia to place cutter in the Bay of
Fundy, to look after Americans fishing there
and at Prince Edward Island, and her Majesty's
steam frigate Devastation has been placed under
the Instructions Of the governor of that colony.
The hrst article of the cow, ntion between the
United States and Great Britain, of the Goth
October, 1918, is in these words:
Whereas differences have arisen respecting
the liberty claimed by the United States for the
inhabitants thereof to take dry, and cure fish on
certain coasts, bays, harbors, and creeks of His
Britannia Majesty's dominions in America, it i.
agreed between the high contracting parties that
the inhabitants of the said United States shall
have forever, in common with the subjects Of
His Britannia Majesty, the liberty to take FISH
of every kind on that part of the southern coast
ofNewfoundland which extends from Cape Ray
to the Ramean Islands on the western and
northern coasts Of said Newfoundland, from thu
said Cape Ray to the Quirpon Islands, on thu
shores of the Magdalen Islands, and also on thu
southern coasts, buoys, harbors and creeks, from
Mt jolly, OH the southern coast of the Labra
dor, to and through the straits of Belle Isle, ant
thence norlhward, indefinitely along the coast
without prejudice however to any Of the exclu
sive rights Of the Hndson's Bay Company, ant
that the American fishermen shall also have thu