The daily gazette., 1878-11-12
Tho Hal,rax F,sherIs- award.
CONSEQUENCES THAT FORECASTS Ing
IsLATioN n THE COMING SESSION..

COhhEEIONb6NtE EohEtAEfs INV
IsLATIoN u THE COMING sEssIoN.F
wAsHrNeroN, Nov. 1O.-Below are the
salient points in Secretary Evart's lettei
of Sept. q to Minister Welsh, giving the
views of our Government on the award
of the Halifax Fisheries Commission.
This correspondence re-opens the en-,
tire subject of the Halifax fishery award
and makes legislation upon the payment
OF the award not improbable during. the
coming session. The passage OF the
amendment TO the Sundry Civil bill,
placing So SOC, 900 az the disposition of
the Executive for the payment of the
award, was nearly the only legislative act
upon which the Administration insisted
The entire Cabinet, with Hayes, were at
the Capitol the last night Of the session,
and IL was explicitly said and clearly un-
derstood that unless this appropriation
was made an extra session would be
called. Suci. q session would have ruined
the political prospects of many mem bers
anxious TO return to their districts, and
| tue threat constituted the stronge,t pres :
sure that could have been brought to
| bear on the House. Even with this
threat the appropriation was passed only
| in the face of the strongest opposition,
| and Gen. Butler, in speech he then
made, presented nearly every ground for
the non-payment of the award now Dre-
sented by Mr.. Evarts. The divided de-
oision of the Board Of Commissioners
making the award, TO which Mr.. Evarts
refers as throwing doubt upon the obi
CATION under which the British Foreign
Office assumes this Government to rest,
was expressly insisted on by him, aud
the rights claimed under colonial laws TO
obstruct the privileges granted in this
treaty did not escape Gen. Buffers notice.
Now that the Administration itself re-
opens the question upon grounds sub
stantially like those upon which O strong
minority claimed the rights TO a full in
quiry by the Legislature of this country
before payment was made of the award,
1t is extremely probable that the House
will insist on making this inquiry of its
own motion.
Now it has been decided to emit eight
millions; but the Commissioners will
probably not stop till they have sold their
tenth million even If they desist then
There is no reason why they should not
go on issuing million tickets week for
several weeks longer for the gambling
epidemic with which they have smitien
the country is raging with an intensity
which will nots spend itself Atevery
new issue 100000 set apart for the pur-
chase OF prizes, so that S600,000 has al
ready been, applied to this purpose. But
this IL not all for thousands of trades
people, anxious TO advertise themselves,
have made voluntary offerings of their
wares, insomuch, that every holder of a
ticket will have about one chance out of
twenty ofdrawing something Suimulat-
ed by this prospect and by the magnitude
of some of the prizes offered, men and
women OF all degrees-and children, too,
Tor thar matter are stak ng all the francs
they can spare on the chance of turning
up fortune. Little urchins in commu-
nal schools are clubbing their sous, not
only with the approval but with the en-
couragement OF their teachers, who dread
to baulk the juvenile enthusiasm lest
they should be accused of being hostile
to grand Republican charity Many viii
lage schoo masters have themselves been
made agents for the sale oftickets. Every
where these veXalinusly enticing slips of
paper are thrust before peoples eyes ami
all over France there is a talk only of
Mr.. krantZ's "gros lots" of $4,000 and
$4,000, which are to be pad in jewelry
or cash as the winners may prefer.
1t seems TO this Government qute
certain that upon "A correct exposition of
the submission OF the treaty, and the con-
curing actions of the two Governments,
nthe production ami application of what
they deemed appropriate proofs, what
the pecuniary value of our participation
IN the inshore mackerel fishery IF the
Gulf of st. Lawrence was fairly estimable
at, constituted the extreme limit of any
possible peenniary award by the Halifax
Commission against the United States.
Mr.. Evarts goes on 10 argue that,if the
majority Of the Commission based their
award upon something else they exceed.
ell their authority, and the matter re-
mains open. In the five fishing seasons
OF the treaty period which nave elapsed,
the proht to Amer. can fislermen from
the inshore fishery has been s25,OO0
year THIS would make the profit for the
twelve S300,UOO. Al the very utmost, ac-
cepung Canadian computations, the profit
Will not exceed l,J00,O00f for the twelve
years-a little mere than one. quarter of
The award. NJ borrower, the Commission
was required TO deduct the value to the
Provincial tisht rmen of the concession
OF nee market in the United States.
AT the lowest estiamate this is worth TO
them SlJO00O year, or 81 100000 for the
twelve years. 1t is clear, in Mr.. Evarts's
opinion, that the United States conceded
much more than they gained. He con-
tinues:
If, as l shall not cease to anticipate,
her Majesty's Government shall agree
that the subject submitted to the Halifax
Comm sion has not been adequately dis
posed of by the concurring Commission
ers, the way will seem To this Govern
i''hD " oo Oicicpy OIlutu lot more per-
manent and comprehensive settlement
OF the fishery interests of the two coun-
tnes than was reached by the Treaty Of
Washington.
The question presented on the face of
| the award of the Halifax Commission,
W., whether the concurrence of the
three Commissioners in their award was
required by the treaty, was made mat
ter of pnblic discussion both in Great
Britain and in the provinces, before and
during the sitting of the Commission
| In this discussion, SO far as it has fallen
under my notice, the legal, political and
popular organs of opinion seemed quite
positive tn, this dnaninity was required
| by the treaty.
| -