The New York herald., 1871-02-20

there h ne controversy W., the privilege reserved TO
70
- %! % the Ray % Pn % P
considered before relief any kind
the bays cas Which, aasnt sSs
s Ssys pss %
latter In extremity of weather. by the treaty.
squpage always sic nder chat Of the
n 70 % ha % % ns with
den aud DANGEROUS chang OF weather. frequent
hs
within n ay es q o a & po s 70, sa
pose 1t is keeping him at such distance wholly
1sess ssnssdsd for
ey ~srs ~ thai
right OF shelter reserved to American vessels the
allowed to sh within three mes OF the place OF sher
Of s ~ is hs a wns or unsy Ss, 70
be wholly prHsssd from fishing along the coast ANA would
OF RE- refuge @ IN case q as, extremity
win go far to satisfy Lord Aberdeen OF the OF the
american understanding ~. OF the words bay q Fundy
Lord Aberdeen replied, concedlng act OF
friendship and good feeling the privilege OF fish.
ing IN the Bay OF Fundy, but STILL claiming the
Treaty Of lslS The American government, In ac-
cepung the concession regarding the Bay Of Fundy,
formally protested against the assumption up by
Lord Aberdeen. and again relterated the doctrine
tnat the three mile line must follow the curvature
1i .ne coast except IN the case o. ordinary bays,
ing from the "headland' doctrine Of the British
government
sumptons OF the coonists abated upon the nego-
tatlon OF The Reciprocity treaty. which gave them
tne freedom OF our markets for their products; they
giving our fishermen the freedom OF the fisheries
without let or hindrance.
The termination OF the treaty, and, as they allege,
their disappointment at not edecting renewal Of
tnat convention, induced the Canadian authorities,
last April to pass law doing away with the license
system, which had been instituted in 1906 and
vivlng IN more Objectionable form than ever their
laws against American fishermen. Much as we mad
TO complain OF In former years TO the unjust and
oppressive conduct OF Nova Scotia to our fishermen
1t was left for the dominion OF Canada TO Surpass Oil
former acts OF unfrlendllness. Always hitherto, In
the most exciting phases OF the fishery question, the
provincial laws provided for giving our fishermen
norce that they were within the waters prescribed
notices, or warnings, were given, and the
seizure only took place after these warn
unnecessary, and that the treaty did not absolutely
require them, the present Dominion government
have enacted and enforced law sezlng our fisher
men without previous notice or warning and ruth
lessly dragging them into port and thrusting them
into prison. In this, as IN other matters the au-
thorities Of the Dominion justify themselves by de-
claring that they have not acted Illegally. Good
feeling, ordinary comfy, decent regard for even
q semDiance Of International courtesy, all have
given place extreme and hostile clamor such
indecent and arsh.treatment fishermen they
think they can indulge In because it Is not .snoml.
mated in the bond that notice shall be gwen that
feelings OF humanity are to be observed In enforcing
their alleged rights. And to make the brutality or
the conduct pursued towards our fishermen still
more undenlabe, their own courts have already de.
cared that OF the seizures were not warranted
by the circumstances OF the case by the spulations
OF the treaty or even by forced construction OF
the dominion law itself.
The President, in his message to Congress at the
opening OF the session. characterized the of
Canada in the course pursued towards our fisher
men as being uniriendly, and that this unfriendly
and veXatlOuS treatment was designed to bear
harsnly upon the hardy fishermen OF the United
States Win view TO political effect upon this gov
ernment. To the Joint High Commission is enurust-
which nave existed since the formation OF the
government rs to the rights OF American fishermen
the one hand and the pretensOns OF the coonists
on the other. 1t Is by no means an easy task. Al
ter seventy years. controversy The differences were
ADJUSTED In 1861 by convention which waved all
the points in dispute. The matter blazes forth again
i'll all Its presne vigOr; and considering the posi-
strength we have developed-and nations, like indl-
viduas, are somewhat swayed by bountiiul display
OF Drawn and muscle-lI will be well for the youth
1ur Dominion not 10 press US to the WALL
THE NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.
An adjustment Of the question OF the Tree naviga-
ton OF the river st. Lawrence Is also one OF the
matters referred TO the High Commission. The
question wil probably be presented in It's twofold
aspect. FIRST, as to the right OF the United states
great lakes. Ana, secondly the commercial in por-
tance OF that route to the United State
Upon the first Drancn OF the subject 1t Is very
likely vast amount OF erudiuon will be brought to
bear. The Canadians have already disposed OF this
printed 81 az .e oaWs Canada any believed eve TO havs
been written by member OF the dominion Cabl-
neJ-if the whole "Prlvy Councif' were not en-
poyed IN the ncuDatlon-which processes to
review the Presidents message very much
to the satisfaction evidently OF tie reviewers, the
question OF the right Of the United states to the St.
Lawrence Is conceded. But, say the willy "Pr1vy
Councillors how are you going to use the river,
when the canals. without which the navigation Is
Impossible, oelong to Canadag The question is
however. much deeper one than the pamphleteerS
suppose, II they give up the natural claim TO the
OF the river IS the outlet 10 the lakes. 1t becomes
matter, then, ior grave inquiry, whether. II me
United States have the right TO use the river they
fatuf apsfvh
the people OF Canada, the only leans by winch
that navigation Is possiOie-nanely, the canals.
That Canada constructed those canals Is undoubted;
bat being constructed. it becomes a question OF
very important character whether the United States
can De rght1ully excluded from their use upon the
same terms ldentcay as TO regulations and charges,
The Canadians themselves. Otherwise we are
debarred from the exercise OF the right which
longs TO oil having free 1ngress anu egresS the
lakes the second largest Oh which Is exclusively III
the territory Of the United Stales while half OF each
OF the others belongs to US. From the physical
nature OF the dlnules IN the navigation Of the ST.
Lawrence II Is impossible that any amount OF eX-
pendtures could succeed in making The river nav1.
gable for ingress TO the lakes from the sea in the
channel Of tue river itself. The rapids only be
overcome by canals on the banks oil the river If
the United States cannot OF right use the canals
already constructed, because tney cut through
the soil OF Canada, we have equally no right buIld
canals ourselves through Canadian soil. Hence the
question arises, we nave the right 10 use the st.
Lawrence as the naIural outlet to Inland seas
have we not the right to DO so in the only way pos
sbie by using tne canslss
But this question Of the St Lawrence as an outlet
for the products OF the West, and q competitive
route for cheapenlng transportation, has been
greatly exaggerated Ill the Importance sought TO he
given II. TO say nothing or the fact that the st.
Lawrence route is only comparatively safe Tor less
than half the year. wnlle or the other portion G is
locked up by ice, that outlet never can be made.
under any circumstances, a route Tor dlrect trane
between the lakes ana Europe, many Western
enthusiasts suppose. In The first place the Mucn
cheaper class OF vessels which suitable for lake
navigation, but shells united Tor ocean voyages Is
Sufficiently potent reason IN itseif 10 forbid IL.
Even as At is, the cheap, inexpensive and
down the ST. Lawrence TO Montreal Win Their
cargoes. IL is found more economical to discharge
them with ordinary canal boats at Kingston at the
fool OF Lake Ontario and the saving by the trans
port In canal boats over schooners the short dis
tance between Kingston and Montreal is founu TO
leave profit after paying the cost CT shifting the
carRoes.
But even II the question Of difference in ex.
pense between cheap fresh water craft and large
ocean vessels did not deter business from gong
into the venture, rs 1t woud-ior cheapness alone
the considefao-tne iact Is that there is not water
enough covering the various rapids OF The