The Portland daily press., 1888-02-24
WHAT WE DIDN'T GET.
The Three Things for Which Our
Fishermen Contended.
Senator Frye Reviews the Provisions
OF the New Treaty.
It's Chances Of Ratification Reported
TO Be Worthless.


the course Of an interview on the fisheries
treaty, said; II sent to the State Department
for map, intending to compare with its aid
accurately the treaty Of 1918 with that now
before the Senate. But the Department Is
closed and / could not get it. All, therefore,
that can say now touching Article Nv Of
the treaty is based only upon some personal
familiarity with the localities mentioned in
that article. and for that reason may not be
quite as trustworthy as II had the map be-
fore me- 1t seems to me, however. that we
do surrender a good deal under the articles
touching delimitation.
EXCLUSION FROM IMPORTANT POINTS.
Take the Bay Of Chaleur. for instance.
The treaty provides that 1t shall be closed to
cur fishermen at a line drawn from the light
at Birch Point on Miseou Island TO Macque-
reau Point light. My recollection Of the Bay
Of Chaleur is that at that point 1t is at least
twenty miles wide. Inside Of this line 1t is
at points thirty miles wide. OF course, un-
der the treaty Of 1918. we were simply ex.
cluded from the three mile shore. We gave
up, therefore, good deal Of this bay. In
the same article is the Bay Of Miramichi. I
should say that that bay Is at least fifteen
miles wide at the mouth. The new treaty
excludes us from 1t. Fortune Bay in New
foundland is also closed TO US now. SO Is Sir
Charles HamiltOn's Sound. We are also ex-
cluded from harrington Bay In Nova Scotia.
These exclusions were undoubtedly put into
the treaty at the instance of Sir Charles Tup-
per. While do not regard these exclusions
as Oh great consequence for our fishermen,
yet, these privileges should not have been
| surrendered unless we obtain something In
return for them.
AFFIRMING AS NEW, ESTABLISHED RIGHTS.
"But let US turn TO Article TX of the trea-
| ty: Nothing in this treaty shall interrupt
or affect the free navigation Of the Strait Of
Canso by fishing vessels OF the United
States. This, while seeming TO yield some
thing to us, does not give US anything that
| we did not have before. That strait has al
ways been free thOroughfare. Yet the
| President in bis message says: The unin-
| terrupted navigation OF the Strait Of CansO
| is for the first time affirmed
That may be, in treaty. 1t is not
| usual in a treaty to affirm that nation may
have free navigation Of the Atlantic Ocean.
1t is not usual In treaty to affirm that an
open strait Is free for the navigation OF
vessels, and this Is striat, opening directly
into the Gulf OF st. Lawrence, half as large
as the Gulf Of Mexico. We have undoubted
rights there under the treaty OF 1918. The
same is true Of the coast running from the
Ramoan Islands to the upper part Of New
foundland
DIRECT VIOLATION OF MARITIME CUSTOMS.
SIN Article Y Of the treaty our fishermen
are permitted to run into Canadian ports
for repairs, shelter, ETC., without being
obliged to enter at the custom house for "A
hours. As to this provision, may say that
| there is not a civilized maritime nation In
| the world which cOmpels any vessel, hshing
| or rotherwise. that may run in for shelter, re-
pairs or anything OF that kind, to report and
United States do not believe that for 20
years any Canadian vessel has been COM
PEELED to enter, if she ran in for shelter un-
der stress OF weather, inside OF one day, TWO
days, three and even four days. | know OF
but two instances which would compel me
| to qualify somewhat my statement in this
| respect. In one, the Canadian vessel, after
| lying in the harbor Of Boothbay, Me-, for
| two days, was compelled by the collector to
| enter at the custom house. But this oc-
| Cured since these troubles began. IL has
| not been our custom. Under this article we
are granted, therefore, absolutely nothing.
coNvENIENCEs CONSPICUOUS BY ABB
sENcE.
Turning to Article XIV we discover what
else Canada has given us in this treaty.
There are certain things that 1t would be
convenient for American fishermen to have.
They can get along without them still they
regard them as great conveniences. But
/ Mr. Bayard has not obtained one. One 10
the right to purchase provisions, bait, Ice,
/ seines, lines and all otner supplies and out
/ fits for an outgoing fishing voyage-n0t pro-
| visions OF supplies on which to get home.
| but supplies TO take out TO the Banks. IL
4 would likewise be convenience II our hsh-
| ermen could ship crews. Let me illustrate.
| A vessel of fishermen sails from Gloucester
4 ha Danlra or NoVa &QOfia From (flOu-
| cester to the Banks ordinarily Is voyage OF
| six days; from Nova Scotia to the Banks
/ day and half That vessel sails short
| Of hands. She will take in at Glouees-
ter say twelve hands. To complete her crew
| she wants twenty hands, that Is, eight more.
| Now, IL she could 90 to Nova Scotia or Prince
| Edwards island and ship her.elght men there
| she would avoid the expense OF paying and
boarding these men Tor the greater part OF
/ the outward trip and the return trip as well.
Then again as to the matter Of provisions.
| nOfisherman sails without an ample supply OF
the best kind Of provisions. There Is never
any want. They live as well as any OF US
/ live. They insist upon having the best, out
| 1t would be a convenience TO them. II while
/ at Nova Scotia shipping more men, they Wers
/ permitted to buy bait and Ice. If purchased
/ at Gloucester, the Ice would have been melt
/ ing on the voyage, and 1t would also nave
| had 10 be carried. The great seines they
! use for mackerel are apt to be torn; they go
/ TO the bottom, and II you tear one OF these
| seines, which cost 81 800, and have no means
Of mending II, 1t might cut of large part
| of your profits. Therefore II might be con-
| venient to buy a seine
Then, If in storm there are three or
/ four boats washed over, or stove In, it
| might be great convenience to buy more
| boats. 1t might also be convenient to land
| a cargo in Canada--the distance from the
Banks being but day and half-load IL on
the cars and send 1t In bond to the United
States. and then 90 out TO the Banks again
for another catch instead Of going home. Now
no man can name anything else that would
be convenient 10 our fishermen or that fish
men want except those three things, and
those three things Fare not given In this
treaty.
Its Fate Sealed.
BosToN, Feb. 23.-A special despatch to
the Boston Journal from Washington says:
The fate Of the fishing treaty Is deter
| mined. IL will not be ratified. tt may be
| doubted even whether II will secure major
ity vote There will be an effort made to dis