Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-04-06

mile limit must be measured not from the coast
itself, but from line drawn across the bay
from headlsnd to headland inside which was as
serted no American fisherman should be allowed
to come. From this construction, which was
eventually endorsed by the law officers Of the
English Crown (though in terms which seem to
make IT certain that they had not even read the
trssty,) arose constant disputes, which at last
| grew intolerable, and on June 5, 1854, was
| signed at Washington the convention now about
to expire, known as the Reciprocity Treaty. By
this. in addition to the powers claimed and adj
United by the treaty of 1918, liberty was given
/ to the Americans 10 take fish throughout the
seas contiguous to the provinces without any re-
striction As TO distance from the shore. In re-
turn for this British subjects were allowed the
same advantages on all American shores north
Of the thirty-sixth parallel Of latitude, and by
article reciprocal free list was established
which opened the markets ofeach country to the
most important products Of the other, but Of
which, from the nature Of the case, the great
! advantage remained with the proviucIals.
The advantages which have sprung from this
treaty are enormous trade between the two
countries has increased enormously. and the
fisheries have received development almost IN
credible. But for the American civil war Il
convention so materially advantageous would
have certainly been left undisturbed for many
years to come ; but the United States govern
ment, to provide for an enormous debt and an
increased expenditure, has thought proper to
raise large amount Of revenue by heavy Gus
tom duties, and cannot consequently maintain
the free reciprocal list provided for by the third
article Of this treaty. In few days, by ats
termination, we shall be thrown back upon the
provision Of the treaty of 1918, with all the
chickering's and heartburnings which prevailed
from 1915 to 1852. and the government will
have to consider what construction Of that trea-
~ Il will maintain and what action II will take.
We're the question capable Of being settled by
the governments Of the Great Britain and the
United States alone, il would probably not be
found to present much difficulty but it is CON-
plcated by the presence of the proyincials,
who are not unnaturslly anxious TO keep the
fisheries TO themselves, 81 any rate not TO ad-
nit the United States TO a share in them without
receiving compensating advantages in the shape
Of free market for their products. Their eff
forts will thus be directed to as strict an inter-
probation and as rigorous an enforcement Of the
treaty of 1878 as they can obtain. By an act
of Parliament passed in the reign ofGeorge III,
ami also by provincial acts, power is given TO
confscate absolutely all vessels, with everything
on board Of them, found fishing within the
three mile limit /; and II as certain that there
teiH Be euery disposition on the part OF the pro
rincials 10 enforce the ldr 70 as full an erteHi
as triH be supported By England. On the
other hand, it is scarcely possible to exaggerate
the importance attached to the right Of free fish
ing by the Americans 1t is quite clear that an
assistance upon the observance Of the treaty OF
1918, with the construction put upon it in
, 1915, would gravely endanger the friendly rels-
tons between this country and the United
States. The English government thus finds
itself party 10 a triangular duel, an irhich Il
has nothing 10 gain itself, nth The disdsrGRtGgs
=, of6eingd target for both the other combdf1nis-
situation neither pleasant nor profitable. II
is exceedingly doubtful trhether ST is desirable
| for any nation TO maintain in these days the po-
licy ofercludiag anybody from the pririiegs o.
fishing in the sea. The commission which re-
Gently sat TO examine the question as affect
ing seas nearer home has reported against
the maintenance Of any restrictions
irhaierer Negotiations sre even now
being carried on with the French government
with q view to carry the recommendations Of
their report into practical effect, and Il Is
scarcely probable that this country lrould con-
sent 10 make any great sacrifices 10 support,
sereraI housaad miles auGy, principle 'rhIet
II is doing its best 10 abolish ITS oIrR shore.
1t is Ineligible enough that the proyincials,
with the prospect before them Of losing the adj
vantages they derive from the Reciprocity
Treaty. should lvish for support in enforeiRg
the penal clauses sEiStiag under The former
state Of things but, although they mill b sup
ported By this country in lrhaterer isJusf dnd
proper, Il is not TO be expected that hey iriL b
supported in the assertion Of principles trhieh
hare been already abandoned on his eide q The
atlantic"
1t may interest our readers to see how
positive and broad provision was made ii
the Treaty Of 1888. for securing to the
I. 5. free access to the fishing grounds
Article third of that Treaty is as follows
".friicle 9. 1t is agreed, that the people Of
the Uni;ed States shall continue to enjoy unmo-
lested the right to take FISH Of every kind, on
the Grand BsnL, and on all the other banks Of
New Foundland; also, in the Gulf Of st. Law
renee, and at all other places in the sea, where
the inhabitants of both countries used, at any
time heretofore, to fish; and also, that the in
babitauts of the United States shall have liberty
to take fish Of every kind on such part Of the
coast Of View Founiiand IS British Fishermen
shall use; (but not to dry or cure the same on
that island;) and also on the coasts, bays, and
creeks, Of all other Vi his Brittsnic Majesty s
domin ens in America; and that the American
fishermen shall have the liberty to dry and cure
fish in any Of the unsettled bays, hsrbors and
creeks of Nova Scotia, Magtalen Islands, and
Labrador, so long as the same shall remain IN
settled but SO soon as the same, or either OF
them shsll be settled, 1t shall not be lawful for
the said fishermen TO dry or cure fish at such
settlement, without previous agreement for
that purpose with the inhabitants, proprietors,
or possessors Of the ground"
In the treaty of Client, Dec "a, 1914,
which closed the war of 1872 Il. and in the
commercial convention of July 8. 1915,
whish was to be in force but four years, no
allusion vas I.aGs to the fisheries. In the
discussions pertaining t. the eon.H.orsial
convention of Oct. %, 1918, the subject Of
the shore fisheries had a prominent place.
The British minister maintained successfully,
that though the war of 1924 did not
affect so much Of the treaty of 1873 as
Acknowledged the Independence of the
United States nor the natural right of FISH
ing on the Grand Bank, i. did put an end to
the liberty granted in that treaty to the IN
habitanss of the United States to fish within
the shope-ls5terT, extending marine league
from the shore, and TO enter the creeks and
rivers to fish and to occupy the soil Of the
British possessions to dry and cure fish.
The new arrangements of the convention of
1918, very seriously curtailed the liberty
previously enjoyed, though it continued it
for certain parts.
Connecticut Election.
GEN. HAWLEY ELECTED
All the malign influences which were set
to work to gam a copperhead victory in
Connecticut have failed. Gen Hawley, |
the patriotic Union candidate for Governor,