Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-20

1853 the smoke of the contest reached
Newfoundland. The French still sought
to retain their grasp upon the island, and
in 1862 took st. Johns and fortified it.
The English fleet, under Lord Colyille,
thereupon sailed from Halifax and block
AIDED the French fleet in st. Johns har-
Dor. A land force of Highlanders as
saulted the town and captured it, and the
French capitulated with leave to return
without arms to France, but, under cover
of fog, the captured fleet escaped. In
1868 the treaty of Paris was concluded.
Under it the French were given the
island of st. Pierre and that of Miquelon,
on the south coast, as shelters for their
fishermen, but with the proviso that they
should erect no Notifications and maintain
no greater guard than fifty men. Within
the next twenty years the American colo
mics had revolted and won their indie
pendence. During our war American
privateers preyed upon defenseless New
foundland and her people were reduced to
the very point of famine. By the treaty
of Versailles, in 1888, the boundaries of
in-shore fishing within which the French
might fish were narrowed and clearly de-
fined, France renouncing all claims to
other grounds or rights to them. Ever
since the French shore has been known as
from Capt st. John north around by Cape
Bauld, and down the west shore to Cape
Ray.
1t is within that territory that all SUBJ
sequent trouble has arisen. Jealousies and
infractions of rights have kept the people
In constant turmoil, and much of the time
necessitated the presence of men-of-war,
French and English, to preserve the peace.
Unfortunately, in the treaty of Versailles
occurs this ambiguous language:
And that the fishermen of the two nations
may not give rise to daily guarrels his Britannia
take the most positive measures for preventing
his subjects from interrupting the fishing of the
French during the temporary exercise thereof,
and that he would give orders tn at
the French fishermen should not be incom-
NODDED in the cutting of wood necessary for the
repair OF their scaffolds, huts and fishing boats.
The French hold that this language
gives them the sole and exclusive right
over the district defined. But neither the
local Government of Newfoundland nor
the Home Government Of England have
ever acknowledged this construction of the
language. England claims the right of
her people to fish concurrently with the
French in the grounds described; that if
there is room for both peoples to fish there
England will not discourage her subjects
from embracing the privilege. But evil
IDENTIFY England has thought there is not
room for both, since, until 1881, she dis
couraged in all ways any settlement in the
shore district named by her people, and
until that year refused to recognize set
tiers rights as entitled to Governmental
protection on that part of the coast. Now,
however. territorial rights are conceded to
the local Government, which has the
power to make land grants and issue min
ing licenses, and give representation to the
English in the district in the Newfound-
land Parliament. Within the last few
years lobster fishing and canning have
risen to high Importance as industries in
Newfoundland. Lobster fishing was I'M
known, practically, when the treaty was
concluded Now its best field is off shore
in the waters over which the French claim
exclusive right for fishing purposes. They
therefore wish to improve the lobster in
dustry themselves and keep the fish out of
British canneries. The English point to
the treaty, and say 10 the French: "Your
privileges are related to the catching and
curing of cod only, there is no mention in
the document of the lobster therefore you
shall not take the lobster, nor shall you
erect sheds for the curing or canning of
that food fish," The Newfoundlander ap-
peals to England to stand behind her
treaty, and suppress the French SO far as
the lobster fisheries are concerned. The
French reply that at the very best the
English cannot lawfully object to their
fishing for lobster concurrently with the
observation-disclosures, and there the matter
rests.