The record-union., 1898-11-18
The AngIo-Amsrican Commission
Holds a Lengthy Session,
Discussing Questions Of Differences Be-
tween United States and Canada.

i
Canadian Fish Are Admitted
| Free of Duty to the Markets OF
I the United States.
| WASHINGTON, Nov. II. = The
IAnglo-American Commission now in
session here to adjust differences be-
tween the United States and Canada
to-day held lengthy session upon the
two subjects which are regarded as or
most Importance, namely, the North
Atlantic fisheries and reciprocity.
| The fisheries question was practically
taken up for the first time, and 1T was
quite definitely understood that the po-
sition of the Canadian Government was
made clear as favoring granting en-
llarged rights to American fishermen in
Canadian waters of the North Atlantic,
| if in return Canadian fish are admitted
free of duty to American markets 1t is
expected that this will open a wide
range of discussion. and an immediate
adjustment is not looked for.
Concerning reciprocity, it has-now de-
veloped that while some progress is
being made in considering certain arti-
1 cles which will be the basis of reci-
4
are likely to insist as preliminary to
any reciprocity, that Canada shall wipe
out that feature of her tariff law. which
gives Great Britain a preference; of 70
| per cent on all tariff duties. If this
important concession is made by Cam
ada, and concurred in by Lord Herschel.
who is looking after the interests OF
Great Britain then it is said reciproc-
f1r Iicfr ahoH wi "a a
Without the abolition of preferential
rates to Great Britain, the opinion is
very positively expressed that reci-
procity agreement cannot be reached.
| The American Commissioners feel
| that if they can succeed in having the
British preferential stopped it will be
greater than any reciprocity agreement.
The debate thus far has encouraged the
/ American Commissioners to believe that
/ they will succeed in having this prefer
entail wiped out.
The fisheries question is of long
standing, and aside from its import
4 ance to the, commerce of New England
and Canadian coast, it is said TO give
the basis for a possible serious conflict
between this country and Great Bri-
/ tain. Wearied by the length of the
controversy Canada has of late inti-
mated that in case it remained open,
recourse might be taken to the seizure
of American fishing vessels in Canadian
waters. This doubtless would lead to
serious international complications.
This has been the view of members of
the commission, and as result they
are exceedingly anxious to secure
settlement of this question.
| 1t is understood that there is some
| likelihood of commission of American,
Canadian and English lawyers being
appointed to determine the meaning Of
the treaty of 1918, which governs these
fishery rights. The suggestion of this
international body had come, it is said,
from Lord Herschel. Such body ap-
pointed, it would do away with the
chance of any collision occurring be-
tween the Canadian officials and Amer
lean fishing vessels during the APP
preaching fishing season.
A high Canadian official to-day stated
the Canadian view Of the fisheries
i question as follows:
! 1.-The International Commission Will
have a serious difficulty to settle the
North Atlantic fisheries question. The
position of the Canadian Government
is not, think, very we'll understood in
/
provides, roughly speaking, that the
United States fishermen shall not have
access to the inhabited coasts of the
Canadian sea board. On those coasts
American fishermen are not entitled to
land, save for purposes specifically
named in the treaty, namely, for wood.
water, shelter and repairs. The OBJ
lject of the treaty was obviously to give
Canadians exclusive control of their
own coasts as a base of operations for
carrying on the fisheries. Such has
been the correct Interpretation ever
since the treaty was framed, and the
United States has accepted it as the
true Interpretation.
.In 1854 the United States purchased
the right to land on the Canadian
coasts for other than the purposes
lnamed-for American fishermen who
wish to buy bait in Canadian ports, to
ship crews, to purchase supplies, in
cludng ice, and to bond their fish,
that is, to trans-Ship them
in bond either to Canadian railroads or
to steamers bound for the United
States, so that they may get rid Of their
cargo quickly and hurry back to the
banks. instead of carrying it to Boston
or Gloucester, and going back empty,
which entails loss of time. The United
States purchased these privileges in
1854 by abolishing the duties on Ca
madam fish. 1t purchased them again
by giving free fish in return, under the
Washington treaty of 1871. So also in
1883, the Bayard- Chamberlain project
virtually granted free fish in exchange
for those privileges. That project was
defeated in the United States Senate,
but the modus vivendi, which formed
part of it, and is in existence to-day,
Iprovides that American fishing vessels
which desire to have the benefit of the
privileges shall pay an annual tonnage
tax to the Dominion treasury therefor
1T will thus be seen that the United
States has all along accepted the Ca
madam Interpretation. This being the
case, the United States is, think, de-
barred from now claiming the bonding
privilege in Canadian ports for Ameri-
can fishermen as part and parcel of the
general bonding system in existence be-
tween the two countries"