Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-01-20
The Fisheries Dispute

AhAS AASAASAASS AASHasS
So much has been said of late
in the newspapers concerning the
dispute between our country and
Great Britain relative to the fish
cries, that l am sure you will be
glad to know what it is all about.
Of course you know already that
there are great many people at
and sHout Gloucester, on Cape
Ann, 40 make their living fish
ing. Itreally is an immense indus
try. A large number of vessels
are owned there, which go out to
''the banks" after cod and macker-
ell and halibut.
The "banks" are great tracks OF
shoal water, where the fish chiefly
congregate. The largest of these
banks is the Grand Bank, which
lies Off the southern coast of New
Foundland. The Western Bank
is off the Nova Scotian coast,
while Jeffreys Bank and Georges
are off the coast of New England.
Fishing on these banks IS dan
gerous business and many brave
men lose their lives every winter
in this hazardous occupation. The
vessels are owned on shore, but
sometimes the captain owns a
share in the vessel he commands.
The sailors are paid proportion
al part of the profits of the voyage.
So much, in brief, for the fish
ing business itself. Now, about
the troubles. AS l have said, the
largest fishing territory is off the
coast of the British Provinces.
Naturally our fishermen wish to
go to those banks. When peace
was declared between our country
and Great Britain, after the war of
the Revolution, a treaty was made
by which it was agreed that our
fishermen should continue to en-
JOY the right to take fish on the
banks Of New roundland and
along the Canadian coast; but
they were not allowed to go ashore
to dry fish. except at places where
no people live, without the permis-
sion of the inhabitants.
In the year 1918 another treaty
was made; by this the American
fishermen were allowed to take
fish on the southern coast of New
Foundland, from Cape Bay to the
Ramean Islands and on the west
ern and northern coast from Cape
Ray to thes Quirpon Islands, also
on all the shores of the Magdalen
Island and on the coasts and bays
from Mount Jolly, on the southern
coast of Labrador, through the
straits of Belle Isle and north
wardly along the coast, SO far as
they cared to go. But in all other
parts of the Canadian coast it vas
agreed that our vessels should not
fish within three miles of the
shore and that they should not ell
ter Canadian ports except for shell
ter in bad weather, to repair dam
ages, TO buy wood, or to get water.
But c ishermen were allowed to
go on shore to dry fish on the
southern coasts Of New Foundland
or on the coasts of Labrador,
where there is no settlement.
Again in 1871, another treaty was
made; by this our fishermen OBJ
tanned greater privileges, but we
had to pay for them. This is
known as the Treaty of Washing
tom By it our fishermen obtain
ed the right to fish wherever they
chose; and, in return, Canadian
fishermen were given the right to
fish in American waters; also, the
fish of the Canadians were allow
ed to be sold in our markets, with
out paying any duty to the gov
ernment. But the British thought
that this was not enough TO pay
them for the privileges granted to
! American fishermen, and SO it was
agreed that the United States
should pay sum of money, to be
fixed by Commission. One OF
these commissioners was chosen
by the United States, another by
great Britain, and the third by
Austria. They met in Halifs.x in
1877 and made an award of five
and half millions of dollars to
Great Britain.
This amount our Government
paid, but with reluctance; and a
little later occurred what is known
as "The Fortune Bay affair" An
American fishing vessel went into
Fortune Bay, on the southern
coast of New Foundland to catch
herring for bate. The crew was at
tackled by New Foundland men
and driven off and their nets de-