Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-17
FISHERY DISPUTE.
status of the New foundiand Ranks and the
Discriminating Regulations.

New York. Jan. IA dispatch to the
Herald from ~. Johnr. n. =. says;
From interviews with members OF the
Newfoundland government. prominent
members Of the opposition and leading
busineaH men Of the colony, the general
opinion OF the colony'a side Of tho dis
putc with France may be summarized
as follows:
The treaty rights are concurrent. not
exclusive. Despite British official In.
depreciation OF the treaties, they have
been enforced By the British authorities
according to the French Interpretation.
Newfoundland fishermen. are frequently
interrupted when not Interfering with
the French fishermen and their rchoon-
crr driven away, They are thus de-
privcd Of "A means Of livelihood.
Newfoundland fishery regulations
cannot be enforced In the French shore.
which means ultimately the depletion
Of the fishing grounds. The dlaallow-
nncc OF cod traps ON the treaty shore N
"a harsh restriction. insisted upon by
the imperial authorities In the inter-
cstH OF the French. The French shore
fishery IN yaluclcss TO the French cx-
ccpt for the illegal batting OF the
French banks fleet.
The treaties refer 90 cod only and not
not iiah. nor II thinning drying" hence
the French prcsumptiyc right" 10
conduct this Industry n unfoundcd.
Apart from this. the lobster Industry H.
being ruined for British and French
alike by the non-enforccmcnt of ncccs-
rary regulations
The modur vivendl forced on New
foundland sacrifices local TO imperial
inter sts. The colony does not wish 10
cynde the carrying out OF treaties. but
asks that the British Interpretation be-
held no correct and that the British
navy be- not employed To bolster un-
reasonable French claims.
st. picrre and Miauclon are the CEN
tera OF the wholesale smuggling buni-
ness, which IL doing serious damage
morally and financially 60 Newfound-
land. The unwnrrantcd French claims
10 British Eoll-the half mile limii-rc-
tard the development ~ the most val
liable mineral. agricultural and lumber
inH resources OF the Island.
In short. the French claims ms Inter
prctcd by France. and In many cases
aHHcntcd to verbally. though officially
objected to by Great Britain. are held
to be- Injurious Co the commercial. H.
nRnclal and moral interests OF Now
foundlnnd ana the other maritime
provinces.
u. !. Greene. q. G.. who was formerly
premier of the colony. has given much
attention to the matters In dispute. lie
said.
"in my opinion the imperial govern
mcnt inflicted great injury on New
foundland In recognizing for one moo
mcnt the right Of the French 10 prose-
cute the lobster fishery. as u ncccusnr-
lly requires the erection OF factories.
There N no warrant under the treaty
for such ercctionH.
mo matter what doubts there may
be M To the French right OF fishing.
however, thcro can be none To warrant
them preventing British subjects from
carrying ON mining. numbering or agri-
cultural operations upon the treaty
shore. or the prosecution OF the erection
~ wharves and piers for shipping pur-
poses.
This state Of affairs cannot last
much longer without some overt act
which will prccipltatc matters. In GER
tain localities the friction has been so
great that II required the forces of tho
combined British and French whrrhips
ON the coast 10 suppress II. The set
tiers ON some parts OF tho coast live In
n state Of jeopardy. They are denied
the ordinary rights OF colonirtr. All
leases OF land are issued subject To
conditions ~ claims ana the holders
are liable at any moment 90 dirposscs-
sion at the suggestion OF the French"