Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-19
qailp gennebre Sournal.
A G u II a.
Saturday Morning, March 10. 1870.
THE CANADIAN FISHERIES.

10 fetanate upon US lOf tne WlthuraW-
al of the privileges of the Reciprocity
Treaty. which permitted them to control
our markets for their products. shutting
us out from the fisheries on their coast. The
government of the Dominion will issue no
licenses to foreign fishermen the coming
season. and steps will be taken to protect
Canadian fishermen. Thus says the Cab
met members of the Dominion, and thus
it will be unless they think better Of the
matter as they consider it more.
BY the treaty of 1888, made between
Great Britain and the United States, the
citizens of this country were to have in
common with those of Great Britain the
right to cure fish on the shores of all parts
of his Maiesty's dominions in America
fish on the island of Newfoundland. The
privilege of drying fish was confined to
the shores of Nova Scotia in the follow
ing language: AN American fisherman
shall have liberty to dry and cure fish on
any of the unsettled bays. harbors, and
creeks of Nova Scotia but as soon as
said shores shall become settled it shall
not be lawful to dry or cure fish at such
settlements without previous agreement
for that purpose with the inhabitants, pro-
prietors, or possessors of the ground"
Thus it will be seen that American citi-
zens had the full right confirmed to them
to take fish on any part of the coasts of
British America. So it continued without
dispute until the war of 1912, when the
British government claimed that the shore
fishing, within three marine miles, was
only privilege, and that this had been
forfeited by the war This position Eng
land maintained refusing to permit
American fishermen the right to fish with
in three miles of the shore without an
; equivalent, and when they attempted to
fish as formerly they were ordered off by
British vessels stationed for that purpose.
and even some captures were made. Our
government obtained suspension of these
proceedings until an adjustment Of the
question could be had, and in 1918 the fol-
lowing stipulations were agreed to and in
serted in the treaty of that year The in
habitants of the United States were to have
in common with the subjects of his Brit
annie Majesty. the right to fish on certain
portions of the southern, western, and
northern coasts of Newfoundland. and
also on tile coasts, bays, harbors, and
creeks from Mount Jolly on the southern
coast of Labrador. to and through the
straits of Belle Isle. aud were to have the
right to dry and cure fish in any unsettled
parts of the described coasts; hut were to
renounce the right heretofore claimed OF
taking, curing and drying fish on or with
in three marine miles of any of the coasts,
bays, &c. of the British dominions not de-
scribed as above 1t was provided. how
ever, that American fishermen should have
the right to enter the interdicted bays and
harbors for wood, water, shelter and re-
pairing damages, but for no other purpose
whatever.
Under this arrangement the fishermen
continued to pursue their business, until
the claim was made by the Provinces and
the British government, that the three
miles from the shore was to be from head
land to headland, and not by following
the bends and indentations of the coast, as
our fishermen understood the treaty and
our statesmen have always commended
The reciprocity treaty restored to our fish
ermen full liberty to catch and cure fish
without restrictions. After the treaty end
ed Canada granted licenses, charging fiji.
ty cents per ton for the season, which Sc.
cured to each vessel taking ont license
all the privileges formerly enjoyed. Thi:
/ charge was increased to one dollar pei
, ton, and now it is proposed to discontinue
the license altogether and station armed
vessels along the coast to prevent Ameri-
can fishermen taking fish within three
miles of the coast, as they understand it,
that is, reckoning from headland to head
land
+ If this proposition is adhered to by the
Dominion we are liable to have renewal
of the difficulty which beset us before un-
der the same circumstances. Our fisher
men will venture over the forbidden lin.
its. or they may not be able to tell just
what distance they are from the shore and
inadvertently drift over the line, and the
British cruisers may pounce upon them
or there may be cases in which seizure
may take place without cause, armed yes
sells depending upon their strength to seize
the unarmed craft and upon falsehood to
sustain the act. The danger of difficulty
arising here of serious nature can be
readily seen even had not past experience
taught us it practically. What we have
had before in the same circumstances we
shall be very likely to have again. But IT
there is trouble for us in the course which