The record-union., 1891-06-24
TRADE WITH CANADA.
PAPERS RELATING TO IT'S EXTEN-
SION AND DEVELOPMENT
Blaine Insists That All Propositions
Must Come From British
Representatives
speciol 10 the REcoRp-UN1oy.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
OTTAWA, June 23.--Just before the Sen
ate adjourned last night a message was
received from the Governor-General,
transmitting further papers relating to
the extension and development Of trade
between the United States and Canada,
including the Newfoundland correspond
ence, which consists of dispatches which
passed between Lord Salisbury, the Brit
ism Minister in Washington and Lord
Knutsford. After negotiations had been
going on for some time the draft of the
proposed convention between Newfound-
land and the United States, which had
been privately communicated by Paunce-
fote to Blaine for arrangement Of the fish
cries question and trade relations, was
transmitted to Canadian Governor-Gen-
eral Stanley.
The next dispatch is Lord Stanley S
cable message to Knutsford, in which he
demonstrates in the strongest terms
against the signature of the proposed con-
vention in Washington, as it would place
fish and other products of Canada at a
disadvantage IL the United States mar
ket.
Knutsford then, in dispatch to the
Governor-General. says: I'm the urgent
condition of Newfoundland an unfortu-
nate feeling viii be excited by the oppo-
sition of Canada to the efforts of New
foundland to relieve it's distress. Any
reciprocity treaty between Canada and
the United States would, as previously, be
framed so as not to place imports from
this country at disadvantage, and it is
presumed Canada would wish to retain
bn1 t1J wit "a tn a
possible extension OF her trade with the
Colonies and England
In the next dispatch Stanley replies,
saying the Canadian Ministers were pre-
pared to open negotiations Immediately
on the lines already laid down, provided
the representatives at Washington could
be commissioned 10 associate with the
British Minister and empowered to nego-
tiate directly instead of being mere dele
gates.
Pauncefote, November 2Sth, received a
dispatch from Stanley, in which the latter
announces the Canadian Government was
prepared to arrange for commercial rela-
tionS with the United States, and wishing
that the Government might be so in
formed.
4 Joint Commission, such as that Of
1871, was proposed by Lord Stanley to
deal with the questions at issue and pre-
pare a treaty respecting the renewal of
notifications of the reconstruction
treaty Of 1888. in respect to Atlantic fish
cries, with the aim of securing free adj
mission in the United States markets of
Canadian fishery products in return for
facilities to be granted the United States
fishermen to buy bait and supplies, and
to tranship their cargOeS in Canada, all
such privileges 10 be mutual; protection
to mack kerels and other fishes on the At
lantic Ocean and in island waters; also,
the relaxation OF the seaboard cOaSting
laws of the two countries, and Of the
cOasting laws Of island waters dividing
Canada from the United States; the
mutual salvage and saving Of wrecked
vessels and arrangements tor settling the
boundaries between Canada and Alaska.
Blaine replied that to endeaVor to OBJ
tain the appointment of formal commits
sion TO arrive at reciprocity treaty
would be useless, but that the United
States Government was willing to discuss
the question in private with PauncefOte
and one or more delegates from Canada,
and to consider every subject as to which
there is hope of agreement on the ground
OF mutual interests, and not to risk SO
grave n step until by private discussion
he had satisfied himself that good ground
existed before expecting an agreement
by means of the commission. He added
he would be prepared to enter into
March 4th next.
The dispatch from Pauncefote to Lord
Stanley, under date of January l3, 1891,
incloses the draft Of the convention
between the Governments of the United
States and Newfoundland, which was
submitted to him by Blaine. The pro-
visions of this proposed treaty were made
public since, and have been discussed in
the newspapers.
\ new aspect is put upon the situation
by the decision of the late Premier TO dis
solve Parliament and test the country on
the question. On March 10th, after the
donald sustained, the Governor-G General
wrote to the British Minister at Wash
iugtOn. asking him to ascertain when ii
would be convenient for Blaine to receive
q representative of the Canadian Govern
ment and discuss the whole question of
reciprocity.
The next letter, perhaps, is the most
notable document in the whole series. Il
Is from Blaine, transmitted to the Gov
crnor-General by the British Minister al
Washington, in a communication dated
April ,, 1871. In this letter Blaine men
tiOns the fact that he wished no public
mention of the negotiations made, ana
then brought 10 his notice the fact that
ii had been spoken OF before public as
semblages. Blaine wished il understood
all propositions were 10 come from the
British Government representatives and
not from the United States.
The next four documents are telegramS
from PauncefOtc TO the Governor-G ZEN
eral. They form the skeleton of the mar
rative 10 the Embassy to Washington,
which resulted only in fixing the date in
next October for a conference.