The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-10-12
SAFETY OF FISHERMEN
Plan to Protect Them While
Fishing Near New
foundland.

Through note addressed by the
French embassy in Washington to r.
7. Chamberlain. commissioner uf navi-
CATION OF the department Of commerce
and labor. France has asked the co.
operation OF the United states. in the
name OF humanity in establishing the
ocean routes pursued by mail steamers
on the Atlantic in such manner as to
assure the safety Of fishermen on the
banks near New foundland says the
Washington correspondent OF the New
York Herald NJ Charles de Cham
brun, secretary of the French embassy.
bad a conversation with Mr.. Chamber.
lain upon the matter a few weeks ago.
The question OF routes was first de
batcd az the maritime conference held
in Washington In October. November
and December, 1859. but in The opinion
OF the French nation It's conclusions
were not wholly satisfactory in that
they did not thoroughly safeguard the
lives of the fishermen. OF whom the
note says there are each yeay about
10000. one-half Freuchmen and the
other half divided between Americans
and English
/ The French ports in Newfoundland
/ have insisted upon France taking the
! initiative in proposing 10 The govern
ments an agreement tending TO forbid
[ the fast mail steamers crossing the
/ banks of Newfoundland during the
| cod fishing season, which is from April
10 to Oct 10. Independently Of any
action which The American, English,
German and Dutch nations may take
| France has in its extension OF the mail
contract to the Compagnie Generate
Transatlantique inserted in the new
contract this provislon
The distance taken as basis OF COM
putaton is the average fixed az 3fu nau-
| tical miles of actual course corresponding
10 the VarOus trips effected In the year
I between Htvre aud New York (meridian
Of Sandy Hook) provided that the mail
steamers shall refrain from crossing the
/ Newfoundland banks between the 18th or
| April and The 18th OF October. except
when compelled TO do so by causes OF Wis
major which shall be established hy pro
/ ducing the log book With the exception
OF cases of Wis major every crossing ~
the banks OF Newfoundland by matt
steamer between The 18th Of April and the
18th Of October VIII make tho concession.
nalre liable to a fne of 1000 francs.
1T appears from the marine notices
published by the British admnistra
ton IN 1891" SAYS the French note,
that the English companies OF Liver
pool and the North German Lloyd have
already adopted The routes. according
10 which their ships must from Jan.
to July "a OF each year clear the south
eru prong OF the great bank OF New
foundland at distance OF about eight
miles aud cannot 20 thence uorthward
beyond line running from that point
10 the western end Of Sable island
"Thc way 10 accomplish serious prog
ress toward the solution Of the problem
would then be to secure from the sew.
cral Amcrlcah companies engaged 10
the fast mail service between Europe
and the northern United states or
southern canada renewed declarn.
ton that they accept fhc above de
scrlbed routes, with the amendment
that Instead OF causing them 20 be fol
lowed by their ships until July ~ in
elusive they should promise 90 do so
until Oct 1, or, at the very least until
Sept
In order 10 make quite sure that
the route would bs followed Il would
be distinctly advisable 10 specify the
selection OF thtt route as one OF the
causes Of the contracts let by the postal
service of The United States for the
transportation OF its mail bugs 20 des-
tination on board the ships Of those
Z companies
III the measure that France has al
ready taken and now proposes 60 the
interested powers should fail to meet
with their approval or. In their opln-
ion. 10 meet in an adequate manner
the interests Involved the government
OF the republic would feel inclined 10
lay before the maritime powers prop
Ositlon looking 10 The calling ~ an in
ternati0nai conference al Paris for the
purpose Of discussing the rules that
should he formed for the protection OF
the fishermen following their occupa-
tion near the banks " Newfoundland
against the risk OF collision with steam
ships"
Z The routes prescribed bY the Com
, pagnic Generale Tmnsatiantlque by
France aad which by Inference that
country desires 10 have adopted By
other countries conrolliag lines Or fast
mail steamers are thus given.
Westward, an are Of great circle.
starting from either Iasinet rock or
Bishop rock and ending ai the foot ~
the bank, In about a. degrees ~ min,
utes north and - degrees 20 minutes
west, thence loxcaromic line az far
as Sandy Hook Eastward, "A ioxO-
dromic line TO q point some sixty miles
south OF the point above Indicated,
thonce the are Of great circle from
that point 10 Fasnet rock OF Bishop
rock"