New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-03-05

nctcpt fer them "to award compensation for
commercial intercourse between the two eorn-
trics nor for purchasing bait, Ice. supplies,
etc, nor for permission TO- trIIrsship c,fgocs
on British watcrsn When the award WAS
made the commercial privileges went with thc
S5.5O0OOO gratuitously. Thosc privileges arc
now reserved IN the new treaty rs an cquTva-
lent for the free market. Secretary Bayard
has admitted claims which the Halifax Com
missioners rejected and converted them into a
convenient form Of diplomatic barter for Cana
dian use in future What renders his action
utterly unintelligblc is the fact that in his
diplomatic correspondence as illustrated be-
low he seemed 10 understand the questions
at issue:
Tho present memorandum also contains provisions
for tho usual commercial facilities allowed elsewhere
for tho promotion OF legitimate trads and nowhere
moro fuIIy than IN British ports, and nner tho
neroisi peicy Of that nation soch facilstsss canno<
With any show Of reason be denied 90 American Ash-
ing vessols whom plying their vocation IN dcop sea
fshing grounds IN the lecaos open TO than equally
inhbits the taking. drying curing fish by Amer
ican fishermen In certain waters, and certain coasts,
and when these arc Effected tho inhIbiory features
exhausted. Everything that NAV presumably guard
against infrscOn Of these provisions will b reeog
nIxed sHi ebayed By the Government II tho Unted
States, but should not DO pressed beyond Us natural
fOrco. By its vory tcrRs and Necessary tn'eadrneut
the same treaty recognizes the continuance permanent
iy tho accustomed rights Of American fishermen In
those places not embraced In tho remuneration OF tho
treaty prosecute the business freely did their
forcfahers No construction Of the Convention of ID
that strikes at. or impedes the opcnsea fishing by
ctzons OF the United ares can DO accepted should
a frca of N n NJ
offence, nor should such m and be accomplished by
indirccton. Therefore, by causing tho same port
regulations and commercial rights to bo applied to
vessels engaged therein enforced relative to
other trading craft, propose to prevent ban from
being put upon the lawful and regular business of
open-sea Gsiing-(Socretsry Bayard TO Mr.. Phelps,
November 5, 1861
In this letter, which contained proposals for
the settlement of the controversy, Secretary
Bayard asserted the necessity of allowing
Americans engaged in deep-sca fishing full
commercial rights on shore, ard defined the
precise nature of the privileges rcnounccd in
1918. lie had the American case at the point
of his pen when he wrote that admirable pas
sage but when Mr.. Chamberlain entered into
conference with him he abandoned il alto
gether. He took up the rejected portion Of
the British case which the Halifax Commits
sioners had declined to consider. and con-
scnted to its incorporation in tho new treaty
Those commercial rights which he had de-
clarcd could not be denied "with any show Of
reason" he made full offset TO the free market
for Canadian fish, although Lord Salisbury in
answering that very letter had offered to en-
change the inshorc fisheries for the market
without the S5,5OO,OOO. The Secretary is
evidently a very dull man When bargain is
to be made. American principles may be
harmless when he is writing his letters and
dispatches, but when a treaty is to be drawn
up the British case-cven II portion Of it which
an international tribunal has rcjccted-scrvcs
his purpose.