Ellsworth American., 1877-06-07
The Fisheries Commission.

The Commission which j. TO dispose Of
the last question arising under the Treaty
OF Washington. dated May :, ISL. between
the United States and Great Britain. meets
at Halifax on the 18th Inst. aud Is com
posed of Hon. Eh>isu ii. Kellogg OF Pitts
Hcld. Mass. on the part Of the nited
States Sir Alexander I. Gait. on the part
ct Canada. 1nl VI N7uJ'cr De'fo,sr. En-
voy Extraordinary ui belgium ls the
United State. who Will ac, solely a. um-
pire The AWcricau case Will be presented
rs Hon. D~isht Foster Of this city. and
Hon. Franci, Clare Ford OF the British
consular service will advocate the Domiu-
ion or British claims
By Article l. OF the treaty United States
fishermen are allowed to take fi>h on the
scacoa.t BAYS, hArbors and crcc,s Of the
Dominion aud Newfoundland for 4 period
OF ten ycar- without restriction aud are
also given permission 10 land and cure ii-h.
similar privileges are granted To- British
fishermen on the lultcd States coast north
OF the 5g.h parallel OF Latitude. luasmuch
a. the British claimed that their concession
wa. mere valuable than that made by the
United Scates. Il was provided that British
fishermen should Dc permitted to sell Il cir
n,h Ga the ports Of the United States free
Of duty. and that commission should be
AftfNlhAtl 70 ia AlAi''AlAA VI AFii4l
ton. If any. which should be made Ia ad-
diiiou to this remission Of import duties.
Ia the Dominion there j, naturally a
great deal more interest III this subject
than iu The United states and the iardine>,
OF our Government to carry ont the clause
providing tor the Commission has pro-
Vokrd much bitter comment IN Dominion
Journals. The dominion politicians hsve
not definitely stated the amount which
lhcy have deemed 10 be an adequate com
p.n.ation but In general terms the papers
have placed very high value upon the
couces- on to American fishermen.
The Dominion Government has just pub
li>hed the report OF the Commissioner Of
Fisheries tor the year ending December
81. l,1j. from which /, appears that the
value of the fish product for the year was
Sll.l4-.5g0. exclusive OF the island OF
Newfoundland which does nos bcIoug to
the Dominion The export 81 ti-h by the
same report j. valued at sj,jUl.22l. OF
which sl.3i> 637 wa> sent 20 the Ouited
I States Durin. the same year the Domin-
/ ION people received from the United States
/ about $3.50 90 worth OF the products of
I the sea nearly half of which was for oys-
( ter-
| The above report. aS before stated,
I does not include the value OF the New
/ foundlaud fisheries or the amount export
/ ed from that island 10 the United States.
| which i very lar--c. The abstract OF the
/ report from which the above acts are TAX
en bears evidence of an eti"rt 20 show
that the concession Of the United States IN
| Canadian fisherman j. not so valuable as
has been supposed From such facts a
we are able To obtain from our own official
reports. We estimate that the total
A.. q H.. u 4.
erie, of Canada and Newfoundland was
over So 600 900 during the last fiscal yea:.
/ Under the rates OF tariff which was in
force at the time the treaty went into oper.
alton. the duty on the above amount could
not average less than - per cent. Gd rGlOr.
en-. and was probable nearer 20 per cent.
/ 80 that by the operations OF the treaty the
| Canadian aud newfoundland fishing in-
duStrv are gamers to the amount of from
| $3.50 900 to 500 600 annually-a sum suf-
ticient 10 pay for good deal OF privilege
10 fish In water, respecting which there
was much doubt a. 10 the validity of the
/ British claim because OF their interprcta-
ton of former treaties.
The Cape Ann AdrertiSer in a short ar
ticle on this subject. says that the valu,
OF the privilege Of fishing in the Dominion
waters has heeu greatly overestinated
! j ears a-o. wien lIt Alta' Nh nIdhtt li4t
mackerVl fishery ofthe Bay ofSt. Lawrence
was deemed of considerable Importance
but it is now OF slight value. This the Ad
vertiser claims is the only important con
cessiCn made 10 American fisherman bj
the treaty, and il comes TO the conclusion
that in its present condition it is no CON
pensation for the privilege Of free compe-
tition in our markets.
The only other ground on which the
Dominion people make a demand upor
the United States is for the privilege o.
the American fishermen to obtain bait fol
the B snk fisheries on the shores adjacent
This appears to be preposterous claim
since the bait j. all purchased OF the in
habitants. and is scource OF direct anC
quite large profit 10 British fishermen. 4
number of towns enjoy profitable trad'
from this and many other supplies furnish
ed American fishermen-which is con
venience TO the latter, but scOurce o
revenue TO the former.
Our Canadian neighbors are determined
to make the most of their much vauntet
claim, but from all we can learn RELATIVE
thereto 1t will not bear scrutiny, and th'
American case in the hands OF the abl'
gentlemen to whom 1t is entrusted, vii
be so presented that the award instead o
being millions will be merely nominal.
Rosfnn IIonrual