The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-15
The Fishery Question Ford 'salisbu.
rY,S Reply TO Minister &eiSin.

road.
The Fishery Question lord ;snIisbu-
rvs Reply TO Minister welsh.
| WASHINGTON. November 14.-The State
! Department publishes the reply of Lord
Salisbury to Minister Welsh regarding the
dispatch from Secretary Evarts OF Septem-
Der 2Slh, containing this Governments
complaints regarding the injuries to Amcrl-
can fishermen in Fortune Bay last january.
Lord Salisbury writes: This dispatch is
in reply to my letter of the 23d OF August, i'll
which | forwarded a copy OF the report fur
nished by Captain Sullivan, OF her Majesty's
shin Sirius, on the occurrence in question.
Mr.. Eyarts now remarks that the United
States Government have not been put in
possession OF the dispositions which form
the basis OF that report, and are unable
therefore to say whether, upon their con-
sideration, the view which the Government
of the United States takes OF these transac-
tions, upon the sworn statement OF their
own citizens, would be at all modified.
Her Majesty's Government have not had
the opportunity OF considering the state
mcnt in question, but the dispositions which
accompanied Captain Sulivan's report, ana
which I now have the honor to forward,
appeared to them, in the absence OF other
testimony, to be conclusive as regards the
facts OF the case. Apart. however, from
the facts, in respect to which there appears
to be material divergence between the
evidence collected by the United states
Government and that collected by the colo
NAL authorities, Mr.. Evarts takes exception
to nv letter OF the 23d. on the ground OF
nv statements that the United States fish
ermen concerned have been guilty OF
breaches OF law. From this he infers an
opinion on my part that it is competent for
L British authority to pass laws, in superses-
sion OF the treaty, binding American fisher
men within the three-nile limit. In point
ing out that the American fishermen had
broken law within the territorial limits OF
her Maiesty's dominion, had no intention
OF infercntially laying down any principles
of international law, and 10 advantage
would, / think, be gained by doing so
TO greater extent than the facts IN
question absolutely require. hardly be-
| lieye, however, that Mr.. Eyarts would in
discussion adhere to the broad doctrine
which some portion of his language would
appear to convey: that no British au-
| thority has any right to pass any kind
OF law binding Americans who are fishing
in British waters: for il that contention be
lust. the same disability applies fortiori to
any other Power, and the waters must be
delivered over to anarchy. On the other
| hand, her Majesty's Government will readl-
" admit what is indeed seIf-evident: that
British sovereignty as regards these matters
is limited in its scope by the engagements
OF the treaty of Washington, which cannot
be modified or affected by any municipal
legislation. I cannot anticipate that with
regard to these principles any difference
will be found to exist between the views OF
hoy
admitted that the Newfoundland leSls-
lators have the right OF bi1diHg Americans
who fish within their waters by any laws
which do not con!rayene existing treaties,
it must further be conceded that the duty
OF determining the existence OF any such
contrayention must he undertaken by the
Governments and cannot be RENTED to the
discretion of each individual fisherman for
such discretion, il exercised on one slde,
can hardly be refused on the other. Ii any
American fisherman may violently break a
q law which he believes to be contrary to
the treaty, Newfoundland fisherman may
violently maintain it, il he believes it in
accordance with the treaty. As the points
in issue are frequently subtle, and require
considerable legal knowledge, nothing but
confusion and disorder could result from
such mode o. deciding the Interpretation
of the treaty. Her Maiesty's Government
prefer the view that the law enacted by the
Legislature Of the country, whatever 1t may
be, ought to be obeyed by natives and for-
eigners alike, who are solournlng Wlthln
the territorial limits OF its Jurisdiction; but
that if 4 law has been Inadvertently passed
which is in any degree or respect
at variance with the rights conferred
on foreign Power by treaty, the correction
Of the mistake, as committed, at the earliest
neriod after its existence shall have been
ascertained and recognized. is matter OF
1interpationa obligation. It's not explicitly
stated in Mr.. Evarts's dispatch that ne con-
siders any recent acts of the Colonial LeSis-
/ Iature TO be inconsistent with the rights nc-
nmred by the United States under the
/ Treaty OF Washington; but II tnaC IS Ine
case her Maiesty's Government VIII IN
friendly spirit consider any representations
he may think it right TO make upon tue
! subject, with the hope Of coming to q satis'
factory understanding"
The Halifax Award Ready to be Paid
/. NEW YORK, November 1.-THE United
i States Government has, through bank
house in this city, completed the purchase
/ OF sterling exchange to the amount OF abou
1 e1 100, 900, to meet the $4,000, 600 required
by the Halifax award, to be paid to tb'
i British Government al London on the 23l
instant, and the agents OF the United State
Treasury Department will make the trans
fer al London on that date.
ConfIagratien I'm Bradford, Pa.
! BRapFoRD,. Pa, November IA fir
broke out tonight in the buildings at tn
foot CT Main street near the Theatre Com