The New York herald., 1879-08-30
STUDYING THE AMERICANS.

PROGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES IN DIpIo-
y1sHERlEs QUESTION AND WHAT ENGLAND
THINKS OF IT.
From the London Times.l
To-day Mr.. John Welsh. the Minister Plenipo-
tentiary Of the United States at tho Court of St.
James. leaves London. and tomorrow he will sail
from Liverpool for Philadelphia in one Of the
steamers of the American line Of transatlantic
packets. Mr.. wefshs retirement will cause general
regret this country but it is satisfactory feel
that it has not been due to any public difficulty
arising on this the other side of the Atlantic
Domestic bereavemcnts following ono another in
rapid succession have determined Mr. Welsh to
retire from ofAcA life and to return to his native
land He withdraws at favorable moment
from position which he has filed in . manner
equally gratifying to his own counrymen and to the
English people. He leaves clamorous arrears of
unsettled questions to his successor Tho only topic
Of controversy which has arisen during the period
Of Mr.. welsh's mission. and which remains open
for further diplomatic Efforts is the claim Of the
United States with respect to the British North
American hsheres With this difficulty. indeed. Mr..
Welsh been chiefly occupied since his arrival in
London o couple Of years ago. and he has brought
one phase of it critical point by depositing last
week with the Foreign Secretary demand for dam
ages amounting to S103.0OO. on the score
of the Fortunes Bay outrage. But this is
trivial matter. which. SO far
see. excites only the most languid interest
in the United States. while in this country
1t is scarcely remembered understood In former
days, however. disputes ms insignificant stirred up
bad blood in both countries. There prevailing
bitterness OF feeling which conspicuous well
in society ~ in politics. Whom the slave power
the republic provocative. IL not aggressive
boundary questions. complications touching the
slave trade. pretensions menacng the British North
American colonies. open encouragement of Irish DIS
affection and OF conspiracies against tho British
power were incessanty appearing in the politics OF
the United States. Tho language OF public
mon was often needessly irritating. In this
country tho demeanor was hardly more conciiatory.
Americans and American institutions were treated
with scant courtesy. Few took the trouble TO un-
dcrstand them. Writer'S Of AGILITY, and even of ge-
MUS, who visited the United States piled up the
cairn OF prejudice and exaggerated the carcatures
which accepted as representing American char
acter and manners Even when the two countries
came to know ono another better causes Of aliena-
tion-some substantial others sentimental-siill
NAMED. and survived the settlement of the Treaty
reached point at which old feuds have faded out OF
sight 1t manifest that in the United States us In
people are desrous not only that tho two great Eng
lish-speaking States should be at peace but that
their friendly Intercourse should not be interrupted
by any suspicious or jealousies.
CALM JUDGMENT NECESSARY.
Seldom has this kindly disposition bcen con-
spicuous than at the close OF Mr. Welshs mission;
nevor has 1t been more frankly shown than by the
departing Minister. We have every reason to be-
heve that Mr. Wesh's will follow the
course and give expression TO the sentiments.
The manner in which public opinion In the United
States has treated the fishery dispute is encourag-
ing. In former times the contro versy. small II
is and indirectly II concerns this country would
probably have been discussed the other side
Atlantic In manner hardly favorable to good
derstandine. But tho Americans I'm the present
instance take sensible and dignihcd view of tho
matter They perceive that the points In question
are not only inconsiderabe, but technical and that
their settlement may fairly be left to cautious and
reasonable diplomacy The existing arrangement IL
to come to an end some three years hence. when
tho privilege OF free fishing in British American
waters. Tor which the Americans have had to pay
Ei, 100 900 under the Halifax award, will cease.
Americans in general contend that they paid an ex-
cessvo price for this privilege and that Il would be
better 20 revert to the former situation and,
while abandoning any special rights OF fishing
granted by the troaty, to reimpose the duties on
Canadian fish and nsh oils which they had pre-
viously enforced against Canada. The Senate last
year went further and resolved that a diplomatic
effort ought to be made to terminate the existing
arrangement, II possible, at This question is
OF course, entirely distinct from the claim tor
damages in respect of the Fortunes Bay outrage
put in by Mr. Welsh last week. 1t is not denied on
our part that the violence of the Newfoundland
fishermen who attacked the Massachusetts, fishing
fleet and destroyed the seines. on prctence of AN
infringement by the Americans of tho local law,
inexcussbe. The only question In whether the
Americans within their right In dcfying the
local law. The point is q technical one and may bo
discussed without any heat on either side We feel
sure that Mr.. Welsh would have conducted In the