The New York herald., 1871-05-17

should consider the claims for Injuries which the
people o. ,C Canada had suffered from what were
The American Commissioners objected to this and
a wss agreed that the subject might be brought up
with the subject referred to By Sir Edward Thornton
IN MS letter OF February l.
g iiigh Commission took INTO consideration the sub.
,ect zee, ,aa,a mentioned by Sir Edward Thornton In
thas t. commission for the consideration OF
tnese ta claims should be appointed, and that
precedent. TINS was agreed to, except t.at II was
setsied that there should be thrdCommlssioner IN.
s Hnr % a nv umpire Az the conference on the i6th
I Sl April IN the British Commissioners again brought
pcioIe t.e JOINT illgh Commission the claims OF
me people OF Canada for injuries suffered from me
n teniaa mara raids Tney said that they were insI ucted
W preseht tlese claims and to state that they were
reeaiIueu Dy her Maiesty's governments as coming
Mhnin tle class Of subIects INDEBTED by Sir Edward
Inornton IN his letter OF January 20 as subjects Tor
the @ consideration OF the Joint High Commission.
ara ns,r american Commissioners replied that they
United States did regard these claims as coming
wi'srn lne class OF subjects indicated in that letter
Commission, ana thar they were Without aIiy
Tng sersore ssa to consider
Brltlsh Commissioners replied that hat so a. Inc tae
subject was understood not to be within
tne scope 81 tue Instructions Of the American Com
mlsslOners they must refer to their government for
further Instructions upon 1t.
c AZ the conference on the Sd OF May the British
their government TO express their regrets that the
american Commissioners were without authority to
they inquired whether that was still The case.
Inc American commissioners replied that
given sse aG a. ay " ns View Ss
subject was not embraced In the scope OF the cor-
EssPonagnce between Sir Edward Thornton and Mr.
mat they did not feel justified In entering upon The
consideration Of any class OF claims not conempla.
ted az the Time OF The creation OF the present Com
mission, ana that the claims now referred did not
commend Gll al themselves lt Ils TO Their favor.
Tne British High commissioners said that under
the circumstances they would not urge further that
the settement OF the claims should be included IN
Inc present treaty and that they had the less didi
Guilty In doing so rs portion Of the claims were OF
constructive aud inferental character
In articles IL TO 26 at the conference the 9th OF
March, the British Commissioners stated that they
were prepared TO discuss the question Of the sli-
enter into an examination Of the respective right,
OF the two countries under the Treaty OF
1918 and tLe general law Of nations or to approach
at once Inc settlement OF the question on cOmprc-
henslvc basis. y. s sl NJ
Tue American Commissioners said that, with the
view OIsavOidng the discussion OF matters which
subsequent negotiation might render 1t unnecessary
TO enter into, they thought II would be preferable
case would be the basis which the British Commits
sOners desired to propose. llI .&
The British Commissioners replied that they con.
sdered that the Reciprocity Treaty Of June s. 1854
should be restored In prlnciple.
rene wal Of the ormer Rscnroc.i Traa
Ine BRUSH commissioners then su rgested,1r any |
cOHsideFaOie nOdincatl0n were made IN the tariff ar
ran8cment that trade, the COasting trade oil the
United States and OF her Britannia Majesty posses
sions in North America should be reciprocaly |
ST. Lawrence and OF the Canadian canals should lie |
also thrown open 10 the citzens Of The United States
on r terms Of equality with British subjects
y The American Commissioners declined this pro.
posal and objected to negotiation on The basis OF
the Reciprocity Treaty: They said that that treaty
had proved unsatisfactory 10 the people Of
the Omitted States aud consequently had
been terminated by notice from the government OF
the united States. In pursuance
Its renewal was not In their interest, anu would not
be in accordance with the sentiments Of their peo.
pie They further SAID that they were not at iDcry
TO treat OF the opening OF the cOastng trade Of the
United States 20 the subjects OF her Majesty residing
IN her possessions In North America |
u was agreed that the question relating to naviga-
ton Of the river 81 Lawrence and OF Canadian ca
Canada should be treated by themselves Tne sub.
lect OF the fisheries was further discussed the con-
The American Commissioners stated that IL
value. or the inshore fisheries could be ascer-
ENJOY in .perpesa,ty the use q these inshore
mentioned one million dollars ~ Ega auxaJ eal
was, they thought, wholly inadegaste, and tnat no
II the admission into the United States free Of
duty OF FISH the produce Of the British fisheries
for the ACQUISITION 81 purchase OF tie insncre ish.
cries IN perpetuity was open TO grave objections.
would be necessary to refer any Arrangement for
purchase TO the colonial or provincial Parliament
The Briti9n commissioners cNpIalneu tuhJ Tue
fisheries within the limits OF martlnc Jurisdiction,
were the property OF the several British colonies,
nS mens NV Which might AFFECT colonial properly or
meDt and that Legislation would also Se required
During these discussions the British Commissioners
contende, that these insnore fisheries were OF great
value, and tnat the most satisfactory arrangement
for their use would be reciprocal tarir arrange.
ment and reciprocity in The ooastng trade, and
the American commissioners replied that their
value was Over-estlmated; that the United
States desired - secure their enjoyment
not Tor their commercial or intrinsic value
but for the purpose Of removing a source OF
irritation, and that they could hold out no nope that
the Congress OF the United States would give its
assent TO suca tarif arrangeuientas was proposed,
to any extended plan OF recipr Cal free admission
much as one urancn OF Congress had recently more
than once expressed itself In favor OF the abolition
coal sail and fish be reciprocally admitted free anu
that nasmuch as Congress nad removed tue uuty
from portion OF the lumber heretofore subject 70
states was towards the reduction OF taxation OF
duties III proportion to the reduction oi the public
debt and expenses they would further propose That
timber lie admitted free from duty, from and after
the ist OF July 1874 subject to the approval Of Con-
grsss Yhisa was necessary nee on questions anccuns
me British Commissioners at the conference on
the 7th OF April stated tnat they had referred ~ tns
form the American Commissioners that !. was re- |
garded as Inadequate, and tha, her Maestys goverii
ment considered that free lumber should be granted
at once, and that the proposed tarin concessions
should be supplemented py money paJmen';; Jn; ,,.,
The American Commissioners then stated that |
they Withdrew the proposal which they mad pre- |
viousy made Of the reciprocal iIee admission oi
coal, salt and fish, and Of LUMBER, after July 1874;
tnat tnat reciprocal had been made entir<y In the
interest OF peaceful settlement, aud Tor the purpose
OF removing source OF irritation and anxiety; that
It's value had been beyond the commercial or
intrinsic value OF the rights To have been ac. |
qnIred In return, and that they could not |
consent TO an arrangement on the basis now pro- |
posed by the British Commissioners, ana they re- |
newed their proposal top pay money equivalent Tor
the use OF the nslure fisheries They iuftheI pro-
posed that In case the two governments should not
he able to agree upon the sum 70 be paid as such an
equivalent, the matter should be referred 70 an I'M
partial commission for determination.
The British Commissioners replied that this pro- |
posal was one on which they had no Instructions
ana that II would not be possible for them 10 come
10 any arrangement except one for term of wears
and involving the concession OF free nsh and nsh on
by the American Commissioners but that II Tree nsh
an dsh oil cnnceieu they would lnqmlrc OF