The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-01
The Fishery QuestiOn-Breakers Ahead.

from UlG ItfeSs
In its report on the Reciprocity Treaty, issued
last year, the New York Chamber of Commerce
declared the question of the fisheries, embraced
within the treaty zone of great importance"
with the further remark that it "has always
been considered such by our most distinguished
public men," This is undoubtedly the case, as
every one must admit who is familiar with
former negotiations with Great Britain upon the
subject, and with the delicate and dangerous
issues to which the question gave rise during
the period preceding the enactment of recl-
procity.
The Convention of 1915 negotiated BY Messrs.
Gallatin and Rush. can hardly be pronounced
very creditable to American diplomacy. John
Adams, writing in 1914 to President Monroe,
observed that he would continue the war with
England "foreyer, rather than surrender" zone
iota of our fisheries as established by the third
article OF the treaty of 1888" But Messrs. Gal
latin and Rush, while obtaining recognition OF
our right TO fish on the coasts of Newfoundland,
and the privilege of certain entrances elsewhere,
for shelter and repairs, renounced, for this
country, the right to take or cure fish within
three miles OF 'the coasts, bays, harbors, and
creeks OF the Provinces excepting, however,
Newfoundland, Labrador, and the Magdalen
Isles The concession was very serious one,
and has been the source of grave and frequent
difficulty.
Until iS4l the Interpretation placed upon the
arrangement was sufficiently liberal to prevent
trouble. Both England and our fishermen held
that the "bays" from which the later were eX-
cluded, simply meant what Mr. Derby describes
as ''the small bays to which the fishermen re-
sorted for shelter and repairs" In lS4l, how
ever, the authorities of Nova Scotia rendered
the term in another sense, maintaining that the
line beyond which our fishermen should not be
permitted to pursue their calling is a line to be
drawn from one headland to another. This
construction received the sanction of the law
officers of England, and was thencefor ward Ip-
held by the mother country and the Provinces
inintlu aVpl1dinu on fab mn ha 20
OF Chaleurs, in which for twenty-three years
they had toled unmolested, from the Strait Of
Cause, through which they had passed in huge
fleets" season after season, and generally from
the rich fishing grounds of New Brunswick,
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Islald and Canada.
Such proceeding could not but be hazardous
to the peace of both countries. Our fishermen,
driven from grounds to which, as we maintain,
they were by right and long usage entitled, were
little disposed TO acQuiesce in a construction of
the agreement by which they were serious sut-
fereIs. Openly or clandestinely, they were not
seldom violators of the regulation which Eng
land and her Provinces declared themselves re-
solved to enforce at all hazards. When caught,
their vessels and cRrgoes were contscated by the
ProVincials. An unpleasant feeling grew up on
both sides. England sent out ships-of-war to
protect the Provinces In their claim; and the
Provinces in their turn equipped miniature ma
vies TO watch and punish American transgress-
ors. Our Government again, unwilling to leave
its citizens at the mercy of foreign authority,
stationed war vessels to assure American isner-
men Of protection within the law. But as no
attempt was made to gainsay the construction
insisted upon by the Provinces as to the dividing
line, our fishermen derived little practical bene-
fit from the presence of their countrys flag in
those waters
Thus matters went on, our fishermen year after
year waxing more impatient under restriction
from which they were heavy losers; the Pro
vInclals and their imperial protectors, on the
other hand, becoming more and more viglant
in their watch, and more and more firm in the
enforcement of eoniscadon, when American
vessels were found in the prohibited waters.
At that period an accident might at any moment
have precipitated us into war. The Stars and
Stripes and the Union Jack were there, flying
IN provoking proximity, each with guns loaded
and matches lighted, to assert the rights and
honor OF the countries they respectively repre-
sented. A little extra hot-headedness on either
| side-a little extra determination on the part of
an American fisherman, or little extra zeal on
! the part of Provincial iunCtionary would have
! rendered hostilitles inevitable
| From this position, irritating and perilous, We
| were relieved by the Reciprocity Treaty. Oul
| fishermen were allowed, OF right, to enter the
tIest fisheries OF the hemisphere, and most ener
| getically have they prodted by the opportunity
| An important interest has been 1ostered.
! large ana lucrative industry has been cultivated
But the treaty in virtue OF whlca9 these priv
leges have been enjoyed draws to close. Oh
| the 18th of March reciprocity will come to al
end and with its termination will come re
vival OF Provincial eXclusiyeness In the matte
OF the DbnelleS, ana Jne enforced uenlal TO Ou
fishermen OF liberty to labor in the locahue
most certain to yield profit. In the language c
the report of the Chamber OF Commerce, the
will be "driven out of the Bay OF Chaleurs an
other teeming inlets, whi~h are within the fol
merly prescribed limit of three miles.o AL
the old misunderstanding will recur. Tber
will be aggresslons and reprisas. Our cit
Zens, accustomed for the last ten years to is
in the most productive waters will submit bU
sullenly, il at all, to the exercise OF Provinci,
authority adversely to their interests and eve
to their rights, as they understand them. eth
ls a point to be considered" our Chamber
Commerce has said, 'as bearing directly on tn
subiect OF the expiration OF reciprocity.
| That the provinces are preparing prompt
and energetcally TO visit upon our tsherme
the penalties OF commercial nonihtercours
may be inferred from the action already al
pounced by the Government OF Canada. tel
graphic despatch published on Tuesday inform
us of the issue Of proclamation setting fort
that after the 18th proXimo ''no vessels owne
and manned IN the United States of America ca
pursue the inshore tisherieBn within the territoI
, Of Canada, "withOut rendering themselves lab
to the contscation OF their vessels, and such oth
. penalties as are imposed by Canadian law. "
: must therefore make up our minds to moet I'll
issue, and provide for its attendant dithculue
D without delay. 49,.
!, We are justified in assuming that these dit
q culties are not remote and former eXperien
+ points to the supposition that in their natu
t they will be complicated and important.
T his report to the Treasury Department NJ
e Derby, in view OF this contingency, sugges
y that 1.-The Government should despatch a squa
e ron 10 he fishing grounds to see that our VI
sells are not mOlpsted and thai 'OUr tshopips a