The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-27
GREAT POWERS At Odds
The Leng- Standing Fisheries Dis
pute at Newfoundland.
and English Wnrshirs in the
Harbor-Each Engaged in Police
Work - Cercuonious PoistehesS
That ConcenIs Grave Dufy-Both
sides DisIiked by the Natives.

ST. JOHNS. y. F., Aug. 26.-In al
North America the only place where onS
can see the grim floating war castles OF
| two great rival powers arrayed in deadly
menace is in the little land-locked harboi
of Newfoundland's capital. Here they
assemble at Intervals during the summer
season-cruisers and gunboats of England
and France, with the fiery cross and the
tri-color floating from their topmasts ale
the death-dealing cannon peering throu 81
their portfolios.
From the hilltops which form the rim
of the basin, of which the town is the
a century or SO hack resounded with the
clash of arms as the soldiers of these two
nations struggled for its mastery and that
4 of the great fisheries around its shores
| look down upon these modern representa-
| tives of old time enemies and wonder al
| the strange structures in which the an
cient feud is still to be fought out.
St Johns presents an animated spec
tacle when the warships are assembled,
and the echoes are awakened by the sound
British flagship, enters port. and hand
some, handy ship she looks. a protected
cruiser OF modern type, with ram bo% and
clean lines. suggestive of speed and devil
| try. SIC has business-like air which her
trim nd spotless appearance does not be-
lie As her anchor takes the water she
breaks out a ball of bunting at her mast
| head which proves to be the colonial nag,
and forthwith thunders out a salute to the
- 10, II..rN, fa.~
follows the French flagship Isly, a ship of
similar tonnage and armament, but Of diff
ferent design.
The wioked-looking protruding stem OF
the Gallo cruiser is backed by a high SUI
perstructure re-enforced by barbettes at
intervals, in which are located her heavy
guns Painted sooty white with per-
pendicular instead of raking masts she
has the aspect of a cruiser who cares
nausht for appearances, but would have
everybody understand that she is a dan
geroIs customer TO NEEDLE with. She GER
enormously salutes the British flag as she
comes TO anchor. and the Charybdis as
courteously honors the tri-color
Then the ccmmodoTes salute each other,
and the Governor Is honored and replied
for. until the whole atmosphere is smoke
laden and the expenditure of powder foots
up tidy bill. Each flagship is accompa-
MED by a consort or two, corvette. and a
guabcat while another of each nationality
is patrolling the famous French Shore.
Long-StandinG Controversy.
1t is this leng7ssanding fishery Dispute
which eleyates Newfoundland into an m
ternational factor and makes ST Johns :
naval rendezvous. Almost since the dis
coveTy Of North America by Cabot in 1897
the two nations have been embroiled over
the fisheries which stand unequaled for
richness even today.
The varying fortunes of wer threw New.
foundlsnd into the hands of France at one
time and Britain at another, and many a
bloody conflict was wage1 for its possess
sion. But at the peace of Utrecht. in 1913.
France formally yielded up all claim TO
the sovereignty OF the island, and England
generously granted her. in return, a right
to fish on the west and northeast coasts.
In 1863 the Miquelon Isles were ceded to
France as shelters for her fishermen who
were operating on the Terra novan Coast.
ard in 17s3, to prevent disputes between
the rival brawlers, England undertook TO
prevent her people interfering with the
French by their competition.
Herein is comprehended the whole gist
OF the French shore question. Franc
claims a paramount fishing right on the
treaty coast. England asserts that tn
French fishing right is merely concurrent
But France acts up to the spirit of her
claim and insists upon her subjects being
protected in the exercise of these rights.
as she sees them: and England does not
forcibiy combat this condition, but, on the
contrary. coerces her own people in order
10 p,acate France and prevent a collision
with that formidable power
1t can thus be seen that theGe warships
are in Newfoundland waters for business
rather than pleasure; for strict police duty
rather than SPECTACULAR display. They as-
suredly make brave show as they float
idly at anchor il this harbor, and their
trim little steam launches fly to and fro
with tiuttering pennons carrying bevies of
ladies' TO dine and dance.
But underlying all this there is a stern
reality OF national antagonism. aceeptu-
aated on the part Of the Englishman by
the knowledge that he has to eat humble
pie and on the part of the Frenchman
/ by the fact that here, if nowhere else, he
can lord it over the boastful Brton.
Courteous and polite though they are on
the surface. at heart their bitterness is
intense, and it is a treat to hear a
Charybdis officer describe how his ship
could knock cut" the Isly.
They are as nearly counterparts ia tons.
speed, armament and men as POSSIBLE,
and would probably, if they came u blows
prove fairly well matched. But the
Pritisher prides himself ON his superior
seamanship and gunnery, and further
counts to his chances that the Isly is zoo
heavy above board land rolls like beast
in a sea" The smallest British MILDLY ID
confident that they could smash the
"Frenehe" in a round or two and is
itching for II 20 come off Whether the
Frenchmen hold similar views as to their
own prowess and ability TO overcome the
Charybdis, lack of familiarity with their
language makes it impossible for the
writer to say.
All Cordially Hated.
On the treaty coast, which is about 700
miles in extent, and settled by 1900 col
onists, they are all cordially hated-Brit-
ish and French alike. To the settlers they
represent secretion and spoliation. and no
where else in the world are white people
so treated. The Frenchmen, insisting upon
their superiority, are the worst offenders.
They demand the best fishing sites and
turn out the settlers already there If
these refuse, the Frenchman calls rpon
a warship. and she speedily erforces com
pliance with the Gallo demands
The Frenchmen also deliberately rob the
settlers nets II these complain they can
get no redress: no warship officer Will
hear their case. If tie French think q set
tier too near they cut away his nets and
cause him ruinous loss oftentimes. II he
resists a warship boat will be sent TO
do the work. II he still resists he is liable
to be imprisoned or transported from the
island by order CT the naval captain. With
lobster canning Il is the same. The
French claim a monopoly of it. Thsy will
not allow settlers TO establish cauneries
within so many miles of them, and the
cruisers uphold this prohibition. Never
theless many of the people ignore the
rIle and llIliId rllda ehaniiEs in tn. crenl.