The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-20
The Fisher e. Question.


points a. are new We give beow in the form OF q
summary.
The Fisher e. Question.
Mr.. Fish IN his brief on this subject shows
that by treaty of the United States with Great
Britain IN 1915 American fishermen were given the
right in common with British fishermen to fsh
within three marine miles or the land certain
specified coasts. The United States at the same
time renounced the liberty TO take dry or cure fish
within three marine miles or the coasts bays creeks
or harbors q the British Dominions in America not
included in the above limits; but the privilege was
reserved 10 American fishermen to enter such bays
creeks harbors Tor the purpose of shelter and
pairing damages there, and OF obtaining water and
for no other purpose whatever, under such resric-
tons rs may be necessary to prevent them
abusing the privilege. The money value OF the
nsheries to the British colonist5. as given in the
latest accessible returns is estimated s1 43S 0s7
while the value OF the American fisheries In the
Gulf OF ST. Lawrence Is estimated at $1,000 900 per
annum. AT the time the treaty OF 1913
was concluded there were no mackerel fisheries
IN Canadian waters. These did begin I'LL several
years after that time, when the troubles with Amer
can fishermen began AS early a. 1874 complaint
was made OF the seizure OF American vessels for
broacn o, the British Fisheries act and 1886 Nova
Scotia enacted law authorizing officers to go on
coasts or harbors and to bring them into port for
condemnation II they did not Immediately depart
There were many extraordinary, onerous ana I'M
just provisions to this act, numerous seizures fol-
lowed, and a diplomatic correspon dence on
the subject between the United States and
Great Britain arose. One claim OF the CO.
lonial government was especially onerous.
The authorities OF Nova Scotia claimed the
right ITO draw line from headland TO head
lo,SA
all bays. They even went further, and asserted
''that the Gut Il Can Is narrow strip or water
completely within and dividing several counties OF
the Province
From 1888 TO tie present year there was a con.
ttnued diplomatic correspondence the subject
Inc British law Officers supported the colonial
authorities in the mos: important particulars, and.
- consequence. the fisheries treaty soon became
dead letter. and American fishermen Were treated
with rigor and sc verify which Indicated deter
M.ihaion to drive them from British waters entirely
N March. 1856, notice was given by orr government
ol1fn ,abrogauonsof the Reciprocity Treaty with
On IA. sno during the following year the Cana
dian government resorted TO the system of licensing
American fishermen 10 fish IN the in-shore fisheries.
At rst the fifty per ION; the next year
It was increased 10 one dollar per ton and the year
following the fee was again doubled, aud American
naiy, Inc DOMINION Parliament in 1855 passed an
act. which was amended III $780, which contained,
IA an exaggeraied FORM the worst features OF the
presented Mr Fish comes to the CONCLUSIONS
Tha. the ACQUISITION OF the right to American fishermen
ciuded important removing danger collision
than as Of great in,r1nc vane Its probably
That the British doctrine has foundation
where twas the only ssne and now insisted upoa theo
That the right now asserted to exclude American fisher
men from the oeE ports of the dominion to them
tIansippns tier Gan e bond under coor the provisions
ton Of that acques by
wsre sse IN rs o
missioner IN isls and were rejected by the former
mostly that has existence since
the Of the resy and Is subject for
Die Tae''er ''e Terms OF the arc ia appea
inc remedies suggested by Mr. Fish are that the
open TO American fishermen ana all obnoxious
laws be repealed or BY agreeing upon the
upon The principles upon winch a line
should be run ~ joint commission, to exhibit the
territory from which the Amer can fishermen are TO
be excluded; upon measures 10 be taken for enIorc-
ing colonial rights the penalties TO be inflicted for
force the same. A suggestion is also made for the
admission Tree Of duty in both countries, oil the fish
taken In the wa.ers open TO Dotn nations.
Eavigniion OF the ST. Lawrence.
On this subject NJ. Fish shows the Importance OF
ehe river being open TO the navigation OF American
vessels He quotes from the act OF the Congress OF
Vienna TO prove that In the Judgment OF European
iurlsts and statesmen the inhabitants of country
through which a navlgablc rver passes have a ma
tural right 70 enjoy the navigation OF that river TO
and into Tue sea, even though passing through the
territories OF another Power The population OF the
States bordering on the lakes aggregates about
800. 900 Inhabitants, with tonnage OF CO. ,35l tons
upon the waters which discharge INTO the 81. Law
renee and the right or navigation Is claimed for
them as necessary 10 their commerce.
The Reciprocity Treaty with Canada.
We 1ud nothing new IN the brief devoted 10 this
subject. IL narrates history OF the negotiations
which eliminated In the treaty o. reciprocity In
trade and gives the several articles which were ad-
United free ol duty under Its provisions, together
with other matter which Is familiar to the public,
and which mas been recently published IN the
papers.
The EOun6ary and san Juan Question.
Tue treaty between the UGIred states and Great
Britain OF the l5.h OF June. lsl6 stpulates that the
boundary between the territories OF The two
countries should stop IN the middle OF the channel
which separates the continent from vancouver's
Island, thence proceeding through Fucas Straits to
the Pacific Ocean. The dispute between the two gov.
ernments now Is whether the channel referred 10 il
the naro. the United States contends or the Ro-
sari0 channel, as Great Britain contends. In
yielding vancouver's Island 10 the British, by
abandoning clam TO have The boundary
OF the forth-nInth parallel extended the Pacific
the United States expected that all other islands
south OF that parallel and east OF the Haro channel
would fall to them. That the Haro channel was
that contemplated In the treaty Is also evident Is
urged from the TACT OF Its beng the widest deepest
and shortest between the Straits OF Fuca ana the
mouth Of the Fraser river, while the Rosario chan
nei Is crcunous Besides. II the Rosario Channel
were TO be the line Of boundary then all the Islands
below the forty ninth parallel and east Of vancouver
should fail 70 Great Britain. BY the treaty OF 10th
OF October, 1919 the United States ana Great Brl-
tam agreed 10 JOINT occupation OF the territory
they might respectively claim on the northwest
coast OF America, west OF the Rocky Mountains,
anu this occupation was indefinitely extended by the
treaty OF 9Th OF August 1927 In lS43 and Tor several
years alter. Mr.. Everett then United states Minister
70 England had several interviews with the Eng.
lihh Minister Lord Aberdeen, on the point OF DIS
pute. The United states had three times offered the
tyninth parallel 10 the ocean as the boundary,
but the Oner was always rejected. Then the ques-
ton OF giving up Quadra and vancouver's Island TO
England tthe southern portion OF which the forty
ninth degree would leave within the United Sates)
undar confederation rather