New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-04
ENGLAND At A DISADVANTAGE

Lord Salisbury was not heedflll OF the New
| foundland case when he made his recent barter
with Germany. While it is difficult to sup
| pose. in view of Sir James Winters brilliant
| and effective agitation in England, that the
| Prime Minister lacks information of the New
| foundland situation it must surely be that he
| looks at its graver aspects through reducing
| lens. or else that he places a small value upon
| the island and its aspirations In adding an
| other to the numerous grievances of the French
he must have embarrassed the Newfoundland
negotiations seriously. The equities, it is true,
arc mainly with the colonists, and that lends
| strength as it should lend resolution to Lord
| Salsbury's hand; but it is also true that the
yerities are mainly with France, and she well
knows how to make the most OF them. Her
| rights, whether they exist as she defines them
or as England defines them, are in any event
| an effective barrier against colonial improve
ment and progress. Whatever may be in dis
pute this much is not even open to argument
that the French can land at any time during
the fishing season anywhere along 400 miles
of shore, and can cut all the timber they re-
ouire and can put up their flakes, sheds and
stages wherever they please.
Of course the power which gives this right
is inhibited from doing anything that impars
it. British subjects may not possess them
selves of any part of the strand, nor may they
erect any wharf or pier or other Improvement
for the spot thus appropriated may be the very
spot where the French fishermen will want to
land and cure their fish. Nor may the British
make or take Immigrants, for who knows but
that the tmbers they thus dispose
of or acquire may be the very
timbers demanded by the French for
their sheds and stages. 1t may be true as
matter of fact that there is room enough
along the French shore for both the French
and the coloniss as their numbers are to-day
but if France comedies the principle of British
occupation she comedies everything. There Is
no practical way Of limiting It's application.
The long and short of it is, then, that the west
ern coast of Newfoundland must remain
wilderness, unimprovcd and practically unln-
habitcd, or the French must be driven away
and their rights destroyed
This is the issue that Lord Salisbury must
face, and he is certainly ll-prcparod to do so.
His situation is, to some extent, his misfortune,
but 10 some extent also, it is his fault He has
not hesitatcd 10 wound the scnsibilites of the
French as well in act as in speech, and he APP
proachcs the consideration of the Ncwfound-
land case with an enormous French prejudice
to overcome. II is a prejudice both general and
particular. 1t relates to Egypt, to East Africa,
10 Hong Kong and TO Continental Europe as
much as TO Newfoundland. The British Gov
eminent has never seemed 10 appreciate the
requirements of the coonsts. II has combated
France Just enough TO keep that country in
constant condition Of irritation without obtain
ing any valuable concessions for the Newfound-
landers It's policy has lacked sympathy and
nurpose At each fresh disturbance it has
turned YEARLY with frown 10 France and
frown TO its own colonists as If it thought to
satisfy each by arousing the resentmentS OF
the other.
That a negotiation undertaken in these CIR
cumstances can end advantageously for New
foundand seems wholly improbable. The
islanders arc not to be cajolcd into accepting
the empty shell, and France is not TO be
bullied into giving up the kernel. There Is
room 10 speculate whether the colony would
not fare better if it had to deal directly with ITS
enemy rather than through the British Foreign
Office. The appeals it could make on the
ground of its poverty and its necessity would
then enlist the worlds active sympathy.
war upon it of conquest and empire would he
intoerabc. But in the present case France
knows Great Britain and Great Britain only.
When told that her rights are oppressive 10
the colonists, she has the ready answer that she
paid good price for them and that England
should compensate her subjects If they are IN
iured Nv arrangements which are beyond their
control When complaint is made of her bounty
system, she inquiries why England doesn't give
boprtes. too instead of attempting TO NEEDLE
with her neghbor's private affairs. England
can make no turn without finding her adversary
alert and ready, and unless she is prepared TO
end the present treaties by frank declaration
Of annulment and to take the consequences OF
such course, there is little hope that the issue
of the pending negotiation will live beyond
the first session of the Newfoundland Parlm-
| mont