Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-21
THE NEwFOUNDLAND FIsHERIEs
An Important Question for Cleve.
 lands Administration.

lands Administrations.
 WASHINGTON, April 20.-One of the ques-
 tions which MT. Clevelands administration
 will have to deal with during the present
 year is that of the fisheries off the coast of
 Newfoundland The Washington treaty of
 1873 will expire by limitation on July 1, and
 after that time new arrangements of some
 kind will have to be made. The abrogation
 of the Washington treaty will leave the old
 convention of 1918 in force, but that with
 its harsh restrictions prohibiting American
 fishermen from visiting Newfoundland ports
 except for shelter and supplies of wood and
 water only will hardly answer reciproci-
 ty measure between two countries that de-
 sire to remain at peace, much less to foster
 and encourage trade relations naturally ad-
 vantageous to both countries. The province
 of Newfoundland having obtained permis-
 sion from it's home government to enter into
 some arrangement with this country looking to 8 new treaty to take the place of the one which expires in July recently sent Sir Ambrose Shea, one of the leading busi- ness men of the province, to Washington to confer with Secretary Bayard about the mat ter. Sir Ambrose, who has been here for
 the past three weeks, left Washington on Saturday for his home in St. Johns, but on
 the eve of his departure gave a dinner at Willard's Hotel to number of gentlemen representing the press, to whom he e1- plained- the object of his being here and the position of Newfoundland on the fishery question, as well as the feeling there in the matter of friendlyltrade relations L <,e &1oT ska1 States Newfoundlanders he said fail to un- derstand how the people of the United States
 can desire to set aside by the abrogation of this treaty a state of trade from which they are the gathers. The province has mere l revenue tariff which places the productions footing with British products. The province buys from us annually three million dollars worth of breadstuffs and food and sells to us about$275, ,000 worth of goods. Newfoundlander feel, although the balance l is so much in favor of the United States, l that the trade is one that accords with their l requirements which has developed under a state of free and friendly intercourse and they
 do not want it forced by legislation out of the lines it has made for itself Of the fishery interest as likely to be affected by the termination of the treaty Sir Ambrose said: "The Wash ington treaty gives fishermen from the Uni ted States equal rights with our own in our inshore fisheries, and the success of their
 bank fishing is manifestly and largely in creased by the facilities afforded them in
 having our harbors as base of operations where their supplies of bait and ice are obtained. They are then within twenty-four hours of the fishing grounds and their visits to our harbors have become a car
 dinal point in the economy of this season s | arrangements, the value of which is attested by the steady regularity with which they continue in increasing numbers to use our
 ports. This plan of operations cannot be set aside without great injury upon the in- terests to be affected.
 Sir Ambrose while here succeeded in i'm pressing upon the Secretary of State his own views and left for home with the understand | ing that before July 1st temporary arrange | ment will be entered into to allow trade af- | fairs between the United States and New l foundland to remain as at present until the whole matter can be referred to Congress for
 it's action next winter. It is very likely that
 new treaty will be negotiated and sent | to the Senate at it's next session.