Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-08
Long Dispute over New Found.
land Fisheries Settled by The
Hague Arbitration Court.
BRITISH WIN A CONTENTION
Pleased because the Three. Mile
Limit Is Based on Headlands
instead of Following the
Actual Coast Line.

The Hague Sept In the gloomy ~.
tie chamber of the permanent arbitration
court. Ave Judges, who since June have
considered the New Foundland fisheries
dispute between the United States and
Great Britain, pronounced this afternoon
their verdict. The decision gives neither
principal clear cut award, but Of the
seven question decided. the tribunal sup
ports the United States in five and Great
Britain In the other two.
Summarizing the seven questions ss1b-
mitted. points numbered two. three, four
six and seven were decided in favor of
the United States. Great Britain won
points one and FIVE.
This decision determines finally the dis
putes arising from the British American
treaty of 1915 which have caused contin-
uous diplomatic controversies and Incl
dentally, from the six days speech Of
Eihu Root, chief of the American coun.
sell Mr. Root receiving a senator's sal,
airy was barred from other compensation
and of the % persons mustered as coun-
sci for Great Britain and the seven Amer
leans. he alone contributed gratuitously
an effort. which If made for a private
client would have commanded an enor-
nous fee.
verdict but on question No. l. the United
Safes has raised certain questions of
equality which will be submitted to
special commission.
BRITISH PLEASED WITH AWARD.
The british are pleased with the award
| because the three-mile limit is based on
headlands instead of following the sinu-
! ci+ Of ha nd in aNfD
eighty ny having confirmed Great Brit
| aims right 10 make reasonable fisheries
| regulations without the concurrence of
the United States.
The british consider the two points de-
cded in their favor AS of the highest i'm
portance and it is understood that the
colonial Office is satisfied with the out
come Tho court was unanimous on all
questions except the fifth. as to which
| Luis DraCo, the member from the Ar
| Gentine Republic. gave dissenting opin-
| ion, largely supporting Americas conten-
| tons.
| The court finds that the claims OF
Great Britain to a right to prohibit Amer.
| lean vessels from employing foreigners
and to impose light. harbor customs and
| other duties are authorized by the treaty
of 1915
| The tribunal finds that the regulation
o. the manner, time and implements of
| fishing which Great Britain or New
| Foundland enforces must be reasonable
and Appropriate, but Great Britain can
not he the sole Judge OF their reasonable
ness. In case Of disagreement the question
must be determined by an impartial
tribunal
| on question six, which presented the
| claim of Great Britain to the right to
exclude fishermen from the bays and
harbors the treaty coasts Of New
Foundland and the Magdalen islands. the
tribunal declares without qualification
| in favor of America
ALL BAYS ARE INCLUDED.
on question five. which was decided
| adversely to the United States, the court
| followed the strict Britlsh-American
| treaty whereby America renounces the
right TO fish in any bays non-treaty
coasts The court holds that this renur-
citation applied to all bays Irrespective OF
their size. instead Of to small bays as
was contended by the Americans.
Regarding point one. the tribunal
holds that the right of Great Britain to
make fishing regulations without the con-
. sent or America Is inherent IN the IOT-
mcr's sovereignity but the exercise Of
this right must not violate the treaty Of
ISIS or be so framed to give the local
fishermen an advantage over the Amer
leans.
| The provisions OF the award apply not
only to the future legislation by the i'm
pcrial government and the colonies bu.
require that the existing statutes and reg
ulations to which the Americans have OBJ
| jected be submitted to a commission which
shall judge of their reasonableness ne
Cessity and fairness in the light OF the
principles laid down by the tribunal
In connection with its conclusion that
the reasona pleness of the fishing regula-
tions must be determined through ex-
pert information. the tribunal directs the
appointment of commission of spe-
cialists, calls upon America and Great
Britain to designate their commissioners
within one month and appoints as a third
commissioner DR. Hoek. scientific ad-
wiser of fisheries of the Netherlands