Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-18
BAY ST. GEORGE.
A New York Newspaper Man
Visits Newfoundland,
And Tells of the Situation as
He Sees 1t.

The Feeling of the Natives Against the
English Considerably Stronger Than
| Against the French--TroubIes Reported
at Many Other Places Along the Coast
of the Island.
New YORK, June 18.-A Bay st.
George special says:
have just reachad this out-of-the-
way place after a 600-mile voyage in the
steamer from st. Johns, at the other
end of the island of Newfoundland.
This is quiet little fishing village, now
known all over the world as the scene of
the recent troubles between the French
and resident fishermen, threatening a
war.
Slighter causes have led Great Britain
into war before this, and If she is slow
to resent the injury to the property of
her subjects now it is probably because
she must see what gigantic blunder
the treaty of Utrecht was, giving as it
does, France control of the fishing along
800 miles of the Newfoundland coast,
and taking away the livelihood of many
British subjects.
l find the feeling here much strong er
against the home country than against
France. This is because of the apathy
in trying to modify the fishery treaty or
at least to compel France to adhere
strictly to it. All is quiet here now, and
for the present season, SO far as st.
George is concerned, the crisis is over.
The French fishing vessels have all gone
and the natives are left to fish in peace.
There are no French warships IN the
harbor; the Pelican, a British warship,
Capt. Riddle, is the only one here.
The threatened lobster war which was
feared Us the next trouble, viii probably
not occur this season. Capt. Sir Bald
win Walker, of the British warship
Emerald issued orders, dated May 10,
at Halifax, that all lobster factories
opened since July 1 must cease work,
according to the terms of the modus
vivendi. The Pelican arrived here May
19 and served notice to shut up the fac
tories. There are twenty-six along the
bay at st. George, all owned by British
subjects. All but one or two obeyed
the order, but have gradually reopened,
some after q day or two and some after
q fortnight. Now nearly all are in op-
GRAFTON i'll defiance of orders.
There is much Interrogation here over
the modus vivendi Troubles are re-
ported elsewhere. News has just reached
here of an outbreak at Lascie, a small
fishing village on the northeast coast.
The inhabitants attacked a French es-
tablishment consisting of pateaux, or
fishing boats, net sheds, drying flakes
and other property left there by fishing
schooners since last year. They set
fire to the place and destroyed the prop
erty. Magistrates were powerless to in
terfere.
The people are not violent, but are de-
termined in their opposition to French
interference with the fishing, which is
the peoples livelihood. The French
fishing vessels have not arrived at Lascie
for the seasons work, and the property
destroyed was not valuable, but the oc-
currence is significant as showing the
intense feeling of the natives against the
French. The Newfoundland fishermen
are remarkably orderly and law-abid-
ing, and 1t Is only under great stress
that they commit overt acts
Lascie is several hundred miles from
here, beyond the telegraph. The out
break occurred May 10, and the news
has just been brought in by fishing
boat. Quite likely similar affairs have
occurred around the north and east
coast, and the northern half of the west
coast, where there is no telegraph, but
it may be weeks before chance fishing
boat brings in the news.
1t is not likely that France will make
any claims for damages. They cannot
be maintained as under the treaty the
French, as fishermen, are not permitted
to have permanent structures on the
strand, and must take away their boats,
ETC., when they go at the end of the sea-
son; but for years they have been in the
habit Of leaving boats, ETC., in care Of
Newfoundland during the winter.
1t is probable the British warship Em-
erald heard of the affair at Lascie and
proceeded there. She left here two
weeks ago for Port Saunders, on the
north coast, to meet the French man-of-
war Laperouse,
Commodore Marechal, representing
France, and Capt. Walker, Great Brit
ain, will make final arrangements as to
the terms of the modus vivendi, as to
lobster factories, and settle the vexed
question as to whether the factories
must be closed.
They have been heard from here a
week ago. In the meantime the ques-
ton has settled itself so far as Bay st.
George is concerned. The factories are
at work, the modus vivendi notwith-
standing.