Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-24
WHY THEY OBJECTED.
The Diplomacy Relating to the New
fOundland Fishery Dispute.
A STRONG PROTEST FROM CANADA
Against the Interference of the Govern.
ment at Home.
LONDON GETS ARAP FROM ITS COLONY

LONDON, March 23-The correspond.
ence between the Governments of New
foundland and Great Britain on the pre-
posed fishery convention between New
foundIand and the United States is pub
lished. The dispatches extend from Feb
ruary, 1890, to March, 1891. The first COM
munication is letter from Sir John
O'Brien, Governor of Newfoundland, to
Lord Knutsford, the Imperial Colonial
Secretary, in which the Governor gives the
minutes of the Newfoundland Executive
Council in favor of a separate arranging
with the United States of fishery and COM
mercial questions as opposed to cooperation
with Canada.
Lord Knutsford, on April 12, 1890, as
sents to Newfoundland's negotiating directly
with the Government at Washington. Sir
Charles Tupper, on October 27. 1890, pro-
tests against the departure from the old
policy of treating the fishery question as re-
quiring unity of action between Newtound-
land and Canada, and Sir John Macdonald
cables that the Dominion ought to be in
cluded in any arrangement.
No Power to Negotiate.
Lord Knutsford, on November 4, 1890,
cables that Mr.. Bond, the Colonial Secretary
of Newfoundland, has no powers to nego-
tiate, ana that the Government had COM
municared with Sir Julian Pauncefote in re-
gard to the Dominion's desire to be included in
any arrangement. Sir Julian Pauncefote, on
October TO- 1890 wired that Mr.. Blame had re-
ceived Mr.. Bond uhofficially, and had had
long interview with him. the result of which
was the drafting of a convention by Sir Julian
Pauncefote.
A cory of this convention sent to Lord Stan
ley, the Governor General OF Canada, elected
a cablegram from the Governor General on
November 19 stating that Canada viewed the
convention with the utmost alarm, and strongly
protested against the signing of IL. Messages
from Sir John O'Brien urged that there be no
delay in signing The convention, contending
that Newfoundland ought not to be involved
in Canadian disputes, and appealing to the I'm
perial Government to subject the colony to the
same conditions as those of Canada. Lord
KnutsfOrd, in response. holds that the conven-
t1on cannot be made exclusively In Newfound-
lands interest.
Why the Government Objected.
Finally, on January %. 1891. Lord Knutsford
cabled 10 Sir John O'Brien that the Imperial
Government was compelled to maintain the
delay of the ratification of the convention. The
same cable refers to the French shore diff
Guilty. the depressed condition of Newfound-
land and the importance OF opening up the
colony's resources, and offers TO guarantee
railway loan, and to send a commission to in
uuIre into the resources OF the colony, but adds
that before applying to Parliament to sanction
a loan the Imperial Government would re-
quire assurance that the colony would cooper
ate in adjusting the controversy with France.
On February 10 the Newfoundland Govern
ment responded that they could not compre-
hend Lord knutsford's withdrawal from dis
tinct and positive understanding, declaring
that the Imperial Government was delaying
the ratification of the convention in subser-
vience to Canadian politics, to ruin the pros
poets of the colony. and demanding an explicit
answer, yes or no. in order that the fate OF the
colony might be known and appropriate action
be taken.
=Mr. Bonds Washington Instructions.
Lord Knutsford cabled that he adhered to
the decision and that he regretted the language
which the Newfoundland Ministers thought fit
to use. Sir John OBrien having sent the reso.
lutiOns of the two Houses of the Newfound-
land Legislature, Lord Knutsford, in a final
dispatch on March II, contended that Mr..
Bonds instructions when in Washington
in no wise implied that the convention
could then be concluded; that Mr.. Bond.
reference to Sir Julian
Pauncefote, had had several interviews with
Mr.. Blaine, the result being a remodeling OF
the convention as prepared by Sir Julian
Pauncefote. That Mr.. blaine had communt-
Gated this counter draft to Sir Julian Paunce.
fote on Januarr 6, and that this fact though
known to the Newfoundland Ministers, had
not been stated to the Newfoundland Legis-
lature. Lord Knutsford regrets that the
Legislature received an inaccurate view of the