New-York tribune., 1903-02-24
TIE NEWFOUNDLAND ANOMALY.

Seldom mas a more amazing anomaly beeh eA-
bihited in international affairs than is TO be seen
to-day on the French Shore" of Newfoundialiu.
The whole arrangement concerning that coast
has been illogical from the beginning, but III the
last dozen years or so it has become much WORSE
than that II has become monstrous III us ln'"o-
tice and grotesque in its absurdlty IhaI IL ho''
of course to say that France is unjust OF Is ~
he blamed The trouble lies in the orlslhai
treaty which may have been fair enough "hen
il was made but which has not only long out
lived its usefulness. but has actually peconle
onnressiye and malefcent. 1t should have peeh
abrogated. on some equitable terms, long ago.
But for years il has been maintained through
a modus vivendi on one preteXt or aholheI'
One wear the Fashoda incident made 1t lnoppoI-
tune to negotiate for abrogation. For a coupe
of years the Colonial Secretary Of Great brltah
was too busy with South Africa TO look altel
the interests of Britain's oldest colony. This
year sees another extension of the modus VI
vendi in order not to compromise or in any way
interfere with the reciprocity treaty with the
United States
It will not. however be possible TO keep on
thus much longer If the French Shore ques-
ton is not soon solved by diplomacy, it will
solve itself by a reductio ad absurdum. A dozen
wears ago the French had seventeen lobster can
neries and FIVE Goldfish drying stations. or twen-
tv-tyvo Ia all on the west coast. To-day they
have only ten In all on that coast. while on the
$50 miles of northeast coast last season only
single shipowner was at work. AS the French
are not governed by any rules as TO the size OIL
Holsters but take all they can get. large ana
small. those crustaceans are becoming pracu-
caIy extinct on that shore In 1868 the French
canneries put up 1000 cases, in 1900 only 5,40o
and in 1902 only 1900. the decline being steady
from year to year. Next seasons output is not
expected to be more than 1.S00 cases. The cod
fisheries are similarly declining. Last years
catch amounted to scarcely 5000 quintals worth
about $50 600 If to that we add the value OF
the :. GOO cases of Holsters, say, S2SOO0 we nave
$4,000 as the total value for the year of the
French fisheries on the Newfoundland coast
To maintain that petty industry the French
Government paid $4,000 in bounties and kept
three warships in those waters, and 800 miles of
| coast were barred against use or access by the
| people Of Newfoundland. Really, it does not
| seem too harsh TO describe as unjust and absurd
| a system under'which great stretch of coast is
sacrificed for the sake of S75 a mile year.
The extinction of the French Shore fisheries
which thus seems to be within measure bic dis
tance. will. of course, not interfere with the
| French fisheries on the Banks. The latter are
prosecuted from Grand Miquelon and St Pierre,
| islands which France owns outright and which
she is not likely relinquish for any considera-
| ton The fishermen of those islands are, how
ever, largely dependent upon Newfoundland for
bait. and it is not at all improbable that the
| Newfoundlanders will strive to cripple and
hamper their industry much as possible by
refusing TO sell them bait. 1t will be interest
| ing then. to see what success France will have
| in maintaining her fishing colonies with boun-
| ties amid such inhosptable and adverse condi-
tions. But. however that contest may turn out,
| it is obvious that the French Shore" question
must soon be ended It is against good sense
and good morals to bar 500 miles of coast
against all development and use for the sake of
| 100000 or less year