New-York tribune., 1890-07-14
THE ISSUE SHARPLY DRAWN.
FRANCE WILL NOT ALLOW ENGLAND TO
PASS UPON HER RIGHTS.
THE NEwFoUNDLANDERS MUCH AGITATED BY
LORD sALIsBUEY'S LETTER TO THE IFLNOh
AMBASSADOR - MR.. BAIRD AS THE
NrwroUNDLAND HAM2DEN

NEWFOUNDLAND HAM2DEN.
o>,,xocc,s7o>A coEEGsroyDLN1 OF TIE TRIBUNE
ST Johns Newfoundland, July >.
Lord S,Iisbury'S notification to the French Am
bassador. which has appeared for the first IN the
recently issued Blue Book, is the first act OF the
British Government i'm connection with tie hSl-
erie, controversy which has given any hope or
satisfaction to the NcWlOundlanderS. The Irlmc
Minister tells VI. Waddngton that the french
must not attempt hereafter to enforce any claims
on the western coast Of this island. Unless Ehs-
land is prepared 10 admit the claim Of NJ Ilouret
that Frances rights under the Treaty OF YER
sailes amount TO a "VerItdblc sovereignty, thc
step rust taken was taken none too soon. lhe
French contention-and NJ. WaddngtonS lephes
show that il is by no means abandoned-ls lhaU
France must enforce her rights Wheh tAeN are
invaded by the colonlsts or leave them 10 DC
passed upon by a foreign Power. Inc alternative
is not to be thought Of. 1t would place France
completely at the mercy OF England, VINO hlShU
accord or deny as She chose. Whether She did
the one thing or he other, for France 10 admit
TDelauds authority would be to admit that her
rights depend on Eneoud's pleasure and are to
be construed according TO Englonds Will and Juds-
Scnt This admission the French Government de-
clincs to make, and u sharp issue Is therefore at
once defined.
The proceedings of tic French naval officers in
St Georges Bay and Port-au-Port were taken
since the correspondence occurred winch mas J"sl
been made public. They are therefore defiance
of Great Britain and il is difficult for an Impair
tial observer 10 see how France could do otncr
than she has done without giving up her Whoe
case The treaties give hcr rights. If she must
submit every case OF violation To Great hrll"lh'
TO he passed upon Icy British commanders ana en-
forced or denied by British authority, she Ger
tainly does not hold rights but merely privileges
Lord Salisburys letter is regarded by the colon
lists as vindicajion of their position, and as an
assurance of British support IN torcbc resist
ance To French demands They consider 1h't
their hands are now upheld and that they may
safely 90 TO extremes in the event of further
mocstatou. They were inclined To- do 50 any
how, and now they are bent upon 1t. WHAT the
result will be- no one can guess.
The colopstS are also delighted with the posi-
ton of affairs with regard 10 tie enforcement of
the hated modus Vivcndi. Sir Baldwin Walker,
commander OF the British cruiser LmcIo.d ana
chief officer of the naval station OF NcWlound-
land has at last made an effort TO apply the
modus vivendi. He has taken 1or.lb.c possession
of two lobster factories in 81. George lay be-
longing to James Baird, a wealthy merchant Of
this city Mr. Baird Is a Scotsman by birth and
q lover of liberty 10y nature. When Sir Baldwin
first threatened TO take this course, Mr.. Baird
called upon the Colonial Government for prot"'-
ton. He said he British subject engaged
in the pcaccaOic pursuit of an honest business
and he was going 10 have his nights II lie A'i 10
start an army and navy of his own. The Pohtc
Premier. Sir William WLiteway. replied tnat hc
could DO nothing, whcrcupon Mr.. Baird insisted
that he proposed to 20 and be a village lianp-
den.'" This remark got into the local nc" eia4cIs
and now the dauntless Bard Is It coIo"l'i Acio.
He gave orders 10 ms agents III ST. Ntoi st : day
10 disregard Sir Ba.dWInS orders alto-ctntI' ana
10 suspend work only when the marines came ana
actually took possession Oi the ldc,oIcS. .,
1his they GId Oh June 20. Mcah"hIe A..
Baird had started for England WItu ii choice as.
OF lobster salad TO set before the Mar 4us ol
Salisbury. His attorney here however MI MOT
rson, VINO Is Sir james Winter partner ana an
Opposition leader started at once Tor ~. OcoI-c
Bay 10 serve a Wit Tor ueSp">a o7".HS, - 81
Baldwin Walker Mr.. Morrison says, ia the IIsJ
place, that the factories CLOSED h\ ne marines
were not sub cCt 10 tie terms "l tIe u'dhS' AN" III
the second, That the Brush GoNcrnncui Is Win
out any authority 10 enforce the modUS, anyhow.
lie claims that an act of the Imperial Parliament
or of TIE Colonial Legislature j. necessary before
il is possible for the British authority 10 Hc l-W-
fully CXertci. ! think bee Is right about JAls ana
that Sir Baldwin has placed himself III a PIE
dicament from which somebody VIII nave 10 pay
10 eXtTicate him. The mOdus Is an aeIecAeht ar,
rived by the Two Cabinets Of france ANA
England. But this authority Is not sirh as
cnabcS them 10 carry out the baT-aia without
Parliamentary warrant. II MI I''HdS business
was lawful before the modus was arranged, II Is
lawful now and until Parliament OF tnc colonial
legislature, which have jurisdiction, Injcr'cAcs
to declare IL otherwise. II that lad been done,
or If the Act OF George III, enacted for The car
rying out OF the provisions of the Treaty of Ncl-
sailleS were still in force. tie British Government
could properly have instructed Nr BALDWIN
Walker 10 Close by force all lobster iaclDHcs
started since July /, 1889. But the Act "l
George III has been repealed and nothing has been
substituted in It's stead, so That ire f2o.aliN We
sanction which iuStiics such act, as Sir BALDWIN
is wanting. Mr. VI MoTiisDuS writ Will is slc 10 the
Newfoundland Supreme Court, which IS suspected
Of some little anxiety 10 have q hand ~ the
fisheries affair There il SOME probability, how
ever, that the case viii not come L. trial ST
Baldwin arrived yesterday In this h'rbor and he
has intnIatcd that "a compromise with Mr. Bard
Will De effected. Ec Goc>n know the Scotsman
Sir William W!itcWnr las landed in Ln-lond,
and his published ut'emncc,,,: t"c-rapt.d mere
are much criticised Sir Williams popularity
has greatly decreased since the mOdus wa, sisucd
and his part i'm it, became known. His Jealousy
OF Sir James Winters and Mr. Monroe - 80 intense
them, and he has got into the habit of bowin-
cold upon their efforts 10 arouse the British Gov
ernment. he declared upon his arrival IN OH
don that there was Ho great excitement In New
founGand AZ ALL and that the people were "YtIciy
confident THAI England would satisfactorily dia-
pose Of the affair iic Tiiculcd the idea That any
annexation sentiment Whatever existed among the
cooniSts, and TcpU ~"utcd them as humble and
loving subjects q the British Crown. Sir Will
lam may think these IhH-s. but they are far
from bciug uuc. The allegiance If Newfoundland
In Great Britain is a fragile thing, aud a icw
more attempts o. the part Of the British Navy
10 enforce the French claims AGAINST British sub
)ects VIII suffice 10 break il altogether. IT,"
people are aS excited as people can b. without
Delug violent, and unless Sir William satisfies
IheIr demands they VIII give him reason 70 alter
his opinions
LYIN DIDN'T RUN ~ HER FAMILY.