New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-02-03
TOPICS IN NEWFOUNDLAND.
TRADE DECLINING AND sECTARLAN STRIFE
INCREASING.

But the past one was an exception. Seldom II ever
in the three hundred years history of ye ancient
| colony" has the commercial, social and political
outlook been so blue. For the past decade the
Island has enjoyed an unbroken spell of prosperity
| The isherits have been successful. American
| capital flowed in and found profitable investment.
| Although this is the oldest portion of the New
| World, it is the least known and has the least
enterprise. But within the past ten years American
| money and energy have found their way here and
| Infused new life and vigor into the people. Hith-
| crto they have lived solely BY the fisheries; now
| they arc turning their attention to the mineral,
numbering and agricultural resources of the island.
| Within few years American capital and enter
| prise have opened up the wonderfully rich copper
mines OF Betts's and Tilt covcs, and to-day New
ioundland is the fifth copper producing country in
| the world. IL began tina construction of railway
across the island aud eghtylive miles OF 1t, from
! St. Johns to ilarbor Grace is in operation. num-
| Der of new manufactures have been established
here; and dry dock the LARGEST in the world, has
| Just been completed by New-York firm. in the
| incredibly short period of thirteen months. The
Halifax award gave Newfoundland S1.000.000 for
its ALLEGED privileges to American fishermen. But
while this colony lost absolutely nothing by the
operation OF tnat treaty, it reaped enormous advan-
tages Its trade with the United States rapidly
increased, it found a profitable market there for
high priced fish that il could sell nowhere else and
the people along the coast received hundreds of
thousands of dollars from American fishermen for
bait. ice and other supplies
Gut this series of years of prosperity has received
serious check. The fisheries of 1884 a
failureone- third less than those Of lsS3-and the
fishermen along the outports face to face with
long winter and with few supplies Fifty thousand
people here live solely by the fisheries. and the
whole population is less than 10000, it will be
seen that very large proportion OF the people are
depending on this industry for their livelihood.
The men fish six months Of the year and spend the
| other six months in absolute ideness. There is
| nothing else for them to do. Therefore when the
| fisheries fail, starvation stares the people in the
facN The exports of Goldfish this season are only
337 900 quintals against 1870 900 quintais for last
| season. or n decrease of $4,000 quintals value
1872 900. There has been a corresponding decrease
In the exports of cod-o The exports of Goldfish are
| 80 per cent less TO Spain. the West Indies aud
England; ID PER cent less TO tho United States;
and 80 per cent less To Brazil. The export of
herring AMI machercl mostly to the United States
| il only one-ifth of last years exports. OF the I'M
| ports. mostly from the United states, Hour has
dccrca ed 900 barrels pork. etc. 10000 barrels.
| butter 10000 hundreiwcight. tobacco 100000
| ponds aud tea 10000 pounds Last year trade
! aggregated some $4,000, OOO ofwhich T3,5OO.OOO
was with the United States There is direct steam
| ship communication with New-York. and there
were imported last year mostly from New-lork)
! goods 10 the value of 81 $4,000. These consisted
principally Of Hour pork. beef, butter and manuact-
urcd goods. There goods were imported from the
| states because they could be bought cheaper there
| than elsewhere During the same year exports to
| the states valued Ut Sj.9OO.OOJ. and among
other things consisted of $4,000 qunias of dry cod
| ,,II. - I.r of
salmon. seal aud col oils. etc.
THE TREATY Of WASHINGTON.
The export trade 10 the states Is very largely the
| result of the market given by tho Washington
treaty But now that market is to be closed by the
abroeaiion of the fishery clause of that treaty
clo,ed M a time when Newfoundland needs IL tho
| p,o,t People here want the treaty renewed They
! arr exceedingly anxious 10 have IT renewed But
the politicians don't want To say They want TO
make II appear that the people quite indifferent
| about it. The island obtained 81 10000 for tho
losses il alleged 1t sustained under that treaty,
aud To want il renewed and continued now, Is TO
| confess that Newfoundland was the gamer by il,
and 70 do that is 70 confess that the 81 00O, 900
was obtained under false pretences And If it Is
| not renewed the island will lose an annual market
Of $500. 900. because il cannot compete with the
Gloucester men il a duty is put Oh fish This Is
one of the things that makes the outlook 50 blue.
| The question everybody asks is: "What ara We
gong to do about il T. That question was recently
put to Sir Ambrose Shea. the leading politician and
| business man in the island. who went to Washing
| ton thirty years ago % negotiate u reciprocity
treaty between Newfoundland and the United
States. Sir Ambrose expressed himself strongly in
favor of the renewal Of the treatyin the interests
of both countries In an interview, he is thus re-
ported The fact that the Americans buy our fish Is
An evidence that they want it. 1t shows that 10 is
an advantage to them to buy from Under the
treaty their fishermen enjoy the privilege OF coming
20 our shores to fit out with bait ice etc. They
| make our ports their base of supply for the bank
| fishing To deprive them of that great privilege,
rs they will be deprived when the treaty expires.
| will be TO cripple their bank fishing. Now. what
| are the Americans going to gain by cutting them
selves OIL from that privilegei The fact that Doth
nartes will be preiudiced by the abrogation of the
| treaty IL the best argument for its renewal
| aBut the money you receive for the bait, ice and
other supplies from the Americans Is rs great an
| advantage to Observation-Disclosures as to them r
NO. That's a small matter compared to the
profits our people would reap if they engaged in
fishing themselves instead of supplying American
| fishermen to fish on our shores aud banks.
| ain addition TO the American market afforded You
| by the treaty. would you want another $l,0Oo,OOO
! 10 renew it p
aNo. And We are naturally loath to disturb the
satisfactory trade relations grown up under the
treaty"
aft you lose the existing market in the United
Statos for your sh will tina; decrease your imports
from the States r.
| mo. We would likely get our supplies from there
anyway. But Of course We would rather pay III
fish than in cash"
But it is not to he supposed that Newfoundland
would attempt to prevent American fishermen
from continuing to make this their base of supplies
That wOud only bc to bite oil our nose to spite our
| face. The loss of tho United states market IOr