The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-03-28

TaE NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERIES.


nents on this subject presenting Mr. Laboucheres de-
soundland legislature These interesting papers win be
found below
DowNsG STREET, February l6, 1887.
Sin: With reference to former correspondence on the
questions long pending between the British and French
governments respecting the fisheries Of Newfoundland
have to transmit to you copy OF convention wne
is prepared and will, in few days. be signed could
have wished that Her Majestys government had had the
assistance time expected, OF one OF your
principal advisers in conducting this negouaon put
believe that the of the government and people OF
Newfoundland have fully placed before this depart
by the dispatches and accompanying documents OF
yourself and predecessors that nothing was waning
10 complete the necessary information on this head and
the presence of gentleman specially intrusteu by the
French with the conduct OF the business rem
dered it desirable to arrive possible at an understanding
without further delay.
Won are as we'll as your ad vers so thoroughly versed
in the history OF this long subject that the several
provisions OF the convention will be readily understood by
you, without any minute explanation on my part The
detail which propose to enter is therefore rather with
view point out the leading principles which have
snd b., ~ ~ n ss,a Ths
rights the coast Of Newfoundland, under the former
treaties were the following:
The exercise during the season, OF right or
fishery from Cape Ray the southwest round the north
ern point of the island Cape St. John the northeast
comprising therefore, about half the coast of the island
And the Grown was bound to take the most positive
measures for preventing its subjects from interruptng in
any by their competition concurrenee the hshery
of the French during such temporary exercise For this
purpose the Crown bound to remove all liked settle
Inents from the shore
will not now recapitulate the discussions which have Ia
ken place. various times to whether this grant OF
fishery rights exclusive" contended by France or
Concurrent only as contended by ourselves. Suffice it
for present say that the conclusion drawn by your
self the Remark appended to your despatch OF the aga
July last substantially that at which impartial invest-
CATION could scarcely fail to arrive Whether the terms
conveying the French right logically equivalent or
the term exclusive they at all events pract
cay since English fishermen could not interrupt French
fishermen by competition" it Of little Importance
whether they had in theory "a concurrent right since
they would always be warned of by the French
In point of fact it appears that the result corresponded
to this view Under the treaties the declaration OF 1888
the particular stpulations (which have not thought IT
necessary to cie respecting the emitting OF WOOD Sc ana
the procaatons by which the British government sought
from time to time carry the treaties into effect the
French enjoyed exclusive fishery along the so-called
French shore and also the exclusive use Of that
for fishing purposes during their season. they insisted
on the legal right prevent the settlement OF Her Maes-
tvs subjects and the erection of fixed establishments on
II would no doubt have been more satisfactory her
Maiesys well to the inhabitants OF New
foundand II the French could have been induced to waive
rights exclusive and likely 70 be in some respects 50
goations have spread no opportunity has offered se o.
attaining in this the desired object The French
government is disposed to part with or compromise
rights under which branch of industry to which it attach
ed considerable value has grown up And IN the mean
only great expense entailed on both govern
ments by the necessity of maintaining naval forces to
prevent mutual encroachmen but those ercroachments
could not always be prevented, and the peaceui re-
lstons of the two countries have been frequently in dam
ger of Interruption from disputes which there was little
hope of terminating by decision intervention since the
very indefinite of the rights claimed or enjoyed by
France in British soil and waters rendered their constant
repetition almost inevitable
Under these circumstances her Majesty's government
had alternative except that of endeavong by negoa-
ton diminish the chances OF collision by defining the
III tla fpa IN nht
France such concessions most likely to per-
maneny servceabe to the interests OF Newfoundland at
the price Of such concessions our side as were least
likely to be felt oner0us.
The concessions made by France in the convention
forwarded as follows:
The exclusive right Of France to the fishery is limited
entirely The northern extremity and northeastern coast
of Newfoundland from Cape Norman to Cape St John, in
GLIDING portion of the French shore present chiefly
points on the western shore which the French attach
value account of existing establishments and rights
there.
The waters Of the entire western coast with these
tons therefore left open to the free OF
British fishermen concession which, 1t is hoped, Will
be of increasing Importance as population and industry
advance.
Along the little tract of shore between Qupon islands
and Cape Norman shore also at the five reserved points
the French rights of fishery described "o the excu
SION of British subjects This phrase requires expana-
ton Ii need scarcely be said that her Majesys govern
could entertain idea Of cedng any foreign nation
special rights the exclusion Of her subjects in par
portance these No such consequences follow here But
the phraseoogy rendered unavoidable by the peculiar
position in which this country placed by former nego
nations In 1918 the British government concluded the
convention of October Goth of that year with the United
States in which it u.s. among other things stipulated that
the inhabitants of the United States shall have liberty to
take fish in with the subjects Of his Britannia
Majesty the and northern coast of Newfound-
land from Cape Ray the Qurpon islands. Now on the
that the French right that coast il exclusive
(Which has been said must be practically the case the
Americans could acquire right under this convention OF
fishery and it believed that in point of fact claim to
interfere with the French fishery has been sustained
by Americans nevertheless her Maestys government
of opinion in order TO consistency with the lam
guage OF the convention of 1873 1t WAS necessary TO de-
clare the French right points between Cape Ray and the
der leave sembance of interference with nominal
ahough not n fact exercisable rights the part Of
the United States is very unnecessary TO do more than
refer you the recent fishing treaty with the United
States of 1854 does not appear to affect the question
now before us.
France also abandons her right TO the use Of the shore
leaving 1t exclusively in British occupation from the south
point of the island ut Cape Ray to the point known
as crock Point in the Bay OF Islands, north OF the river
Humber with the exception of such OF the five PRESERVED
harbors lie within this part of the coast To this point
her Maestys government attached particular importance
cesson with view to the future advancement OF New
foundland They had learned from various sources that
the shores Of the Bay Of ST. George appeared to furnish by
far the profitable field for future colonization which
the island Affords and were snguarly exempt from the
disadvantages of climate which have unavodaby retard-
They felt therefore, that it very serious evil that the
French shore rights, intended only for the protection OF
their fishery had the effect of rendering all settlement
this coast Illegal that the subjects Of her Majesty who