The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-28
THE FISHERY TROUBLES.
First Official Statement of Can
ada's Attitude and Plans,
The Minister Of Marine Says Can
ada Has England's Support.

The first official statement OF CanaQa S aCGl-
tude and plans regarding the fisheries i'm
broglio was furnished correspondent by the
Hon. Mr.. Foster, the Canadian Minister of
Marine and Fisheries, who arrived at St.
Andrews, N. B., on a tour Of investigation
of the fisheries situation.
"Has there been any change in the orders
for the enforcement of the terms of the treaty
of 1878 since the seizure Of the David G.
Adams at Digby n asked the correspondent
'No, sir" replied Mr.. Foster. ~ have no
ticed reports published to the effect that
there has been and that it was the intention
to hereafter enforce the treaty only against
the fishing within the three-mile limit re-
striction Such reports had no foundation, and
the reported interviews with me that have
been sent out from Ottawa have been just as
baSelesS l have never been interviewed
upon the subject until now. In our position
we have the approval Of the Imperial Gov
ernment, notwithstanding all reports to the
contrary"
"Then the imperial government has not re-
Gently cautioned the Canadian government
and notified yo that it would not support
you in the course you have been pursuing
toward the American fishermenF
"Oh, no. We have the full support of the
Imperial Government 1t has been claimed
by some persons, notably Senator Frye and
Mr.. DingleY, that the treaty of 1878 has be-
come obsolete because Of subsequent re-
ciprocal legislation. I cannot see how
the settlement of the fisheries question alone,
and the legislation that has subsequently
taken place, and has been extended for the
benefit of the commercial relations Of England
and the United States For this reason lean
not see how it can affect the fisheries a. all.
In all customs matters there is very dstn- It
line drawn between merchant vessels and fish
ing vessels. Each are expected to pursue
different business, and to take out different
papers from the Custom House. The business
pursued is totally unlike, and why then
should legislation for the benefit of CONNER
cial relations be construed as affecting the
action OF the convention that settled the
fisheries question in 1S1oP'
Then any papers giving an American
fishing vessel the right to touch and trade
are of no value in Canadian portsm
II have noticed that some confusion has
existed over that matter, and it has been
claimed that an American Customs Collector
could give a fisherman papers allowing him
to touch and trade at Canadian ports. If
that could be done to an American YES
sci the Canadian Government could do
it to one of our fishing vessels, and
the distinction between a fishing
vessel and merchant vessel would bs de-
stroyed. If an American merchant vessel
comes into our ports it experiences no diff
Guilty in obtaining anything itmay desire, so
long as it obeys the customs laws. The fish
ing vessels are likewise expected to obey the
laws regarding the fisheries, and they are
based on the treaty Of 1878"
'Then the only way in which an American
fishing vessel could lawfully obtain bait
would be to change its character for the
time being; that is. to take out papers OF
merchantmen and clear for Digby or some
House she could buy what bait might be
desired but on leaving she must clear in the
same character for Eastport or some other
American port.
"That's it. A vessel doing business as a
merchantmen could do that. No vessel
could go from a Canadian port to the fishing
grounds without first going to an American
port"
"Are the orders given the Collectors Of
Customs and the captains of the cruisers
identical regarding the enforcement OF the
treaty!'
mot quite Each, you know, is appointed
for q special purpose, and for that reason we
have not given the Collectors OF Customs so
rigid orders as we have given the captains OF
cruisers. VI LILO SOilcStOiS, "Ai1C SOoo
men for their regular work, are not exactly
the men who would be selected for the rigid
enforcement of the fisheries treaty. They have
not been selected for such discretionary
work. They look out for violators as
closely as they can. Their orders are to hold
q vessel believed to have violated the treaty
till the matter is reported to Ottawa for ad-
vice. 1t is of less injury to detain vessel
twenty-four hours than to allow customs Off
GERS to make seizures on the amount of infor-
nation they can at first obtain"
"Are the cruisers under similar orders re-
garding first reporting cases to Ottawa"
'Not quite. They can make seizures with
out such delays. When the cruisers are sent
out they are given the orders that have been
prepared for them, and they are also inter
preted to them personally. that they may not
be construed ditfe. emily by the different cap
tains. These orders are all private, and have
never been made public, although have
seen published what was reported to be the
orders given to the cruisers and Collectors"
SIS not the forbidding tf vessels to obtain
coal and ice pretty Iigid Interpretation Of
the treaty which allows fishing vessels to OBJ
tain wood and waters"
Il do,,'t know about that When the treaty
was made you know, coal was net used for
motive power. The provisions placed in the
treaty were intended to cover possible neces-
stiles. If fishing vessel were to use coal IN It's
stove for cooking purposes, of course no obJec-
ton would be made to its taking on board
half ton to keep its fires going but as the supply
of wood was not intended to be used as mo-
tive power, so we cannot allow cool to be
taken on to furnish motive power"