New-York tribune., 1904-09-18
FRENCH SHORE QUESTION.
Treaty May Fail-W Warships Close
Whale Factory.

" N~NN NN~-D-
So Johns " F. Sept 5 CspeciaD.-s'o slight
degree OF Irritation is felt here over the manner
in which this colony has been treated with regard
- the alleged ''settlement'' OF the French shore
question By the AngIo-Ciallic treaty OF April g.
When thiS agreement effected the colony was
led 60 believe :hat the arrangement was binding
and that the matter of ratification was mere
technically On this assumption. supported as 1t
sss By official declaration the Colonial legislature
accepted the matter ss genuine and the Colonial
ministry proceeded TO administer the treaty coast"
as II under the regime During the
season however. IL has been found that this pro-
ceeding haS IN way been warranted, FOR, Efstr
1he Colonial codsnen. who were about 10 locate
there. driven OF by the warships: then the
Colonial lohstermen, who planned 10 work there.
were forbidden TO Go 50. ana the Colonial
Whalemen who had for years been waiting 10
securs a foothold there. fnd that when their fac
tory is half the French commodore protests
hnd the British commodore demands cessation
of work on il under threat 10 tear the structure
down IL he is not obeyed.
To appreciate the anomaly OF this situation Il is
only necessary 10 read the following extract from
dispatch Of the Right Hon Mr.. Lyttelton, Secre-
tary Of State for the Colonies 10 Sir Cavandish
Boyle. Governor Of Newfoundland. dated April 12-
four days after the new convention was signed in
london:
II is with much satisfaction that find myself
able in the name Of his majesty's government, TO
Songratulate the government and the people OF
which puts an end TO situation on the treaty
given rise 10 dific1ites and anxeties Of the most
serious character. The advantage 10 Newfound-
coasts and Of being free devote her energies 10
5he deyeiopment of Their natural resources cannot
that this advantage has not been secured without
other parts Of the empire involving some accession
OF territory. Considerable as these sacrifices are
wider Consultations referred to in Lord Ians-
aoTnss dispatch pat they & are IN "a large r measure ~
future prosperity and development OF the Oldest
British colony.
OF course. the answer which is advanced 10 the
complaints is that the treaty had "a he radhed by
fhe British and French paraments. and that nobody
could have imagined that such hostility would have
been developed with il by the French Dep
Gtes as has been manifested. compelling the post
ponement until the session which opens on October
IS II the vote OF the Chambers on this important
ISSUE This is doubtless enough. but it does
not dispose of the seriousness OF tho problem on
she contrary it rather accentuates IT, for directly
frsverses the good faith Of the French government
sn the premises. The demand for the stoppage OF
the wha:s factory Is understood .have beer made
directly by the French government upon the Brit
Ssh government. and the enforcement II has been
laid upon the British commodore by Joint asree-
meut; and If that is it affords unhattering
comment upon the spirit in which The Cuai d'Orsay
IS acting in The matter This demand has been
made subsequent to the closing o: the British Par
Jiament. after having Loyalty carried out its part
of the compact and passed unanimously through
both houses the bill Tor giving effect the treaty
Consequently IS impossible 10 ventlate the mat
ser IN England nov and throw the searchlight OF
public opinion upon what seems dubious incident
The construction Of this whale factory was begun
July . and the demand for its stoppage was
not made until August g. SO that it is evident
there Is more involved than appears on the sur
face for otherwise the demand would have been
made at once; and had il been, the Imperial Par
iament would have been apprised Of the fact be-
sR,e IN
Then Newfoundland could have taken measures 10
protect herself from the possible consequences Of
such proceeding as the above. involving. it
does. the belittement of her government and her
statUs selfgoyerning colony. especially such
q juncture in her affairs the present involves.
INTERESTS OPPOSED TO TREATY
The specially objectionable fea ture OF the incident
IS that the French government should have been
she moving factor. II is understood with regard
- this that il acted the initiative o: the
fishery interests OF Brittany and ST. Pierre
Afiouelor which have been fighting the ratification
treaty from the outset. and voWinR that il
viii be permitted pass ths Chamber of
IpeputieE the coming session unless notifications
are secured which will guarantee them greater
liberties as n halt and outfits I'm Newfoundland
waters than they enjoy-in a word the repeal
Of the Newfoundland Bait act. II rather curious
under the circumstances that the French govern
ent sfer having negotiated this convention should
now he prepared at the instance % the Breton
serfere with commercial movement OF importance
by Newfoundland. II suggests two considerations
either that the French government is overridden
by these Breton fishing interests. in which It
So NOT difficult surInise what the fate OF the
treaty is going to be when it comes up for vote.
or else they acting in concer; with these
Bretons in the endeayoT to wiring from England
supplementary concessions during the next few
weeks in order 10 prevent the treaty becoming
abortivs through failure 20 obtain ratification he
fore December s. this being the time fixed IL the
compact itself
British diplomacy. while il doubtless merits the
claim OF honesty in the present instance. can hard
~ be accredited with any special fnesse in handling
the matter, for the results Of its work compare
geTy unfayoTaby wlt;l those Of the French negc-
tators. In the first place. the beneficial results oG
fhe compact were nufed considerably by
ahe unfortunate inclusion ia the draft of clause
terminating the fishing season for all parties" on
October % in each year, the effect Of which might
be that alons would the residents be forbidden