Fishery On The French Coa...
The Times, 1824-11-02T00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMfiES. Sir,-It is extraodin tl Jergey. Oct. 28, 1824. Si,I isetraordijnary that none of the London papers should have noticed the diplomatic discussion now going on between England and France on the subject of the oyster fisheries, though (with the exception of the occupation of Spain) the e ost imporiant that has occurred since the peace. Thbis s the more extraordinary, as the States of the island were assembled on that subject on the 7th inst., and dlePuted their President with a reinonstrance to his Majes- ty's Government. T"hc opposite coast of France is famed for its oyster- banks; they lie chiefly within one and two miles of low water-mark, and thete our boats never interfered with the fishery: but in 1797 our cruisers discovered oyster-banks five or six miles from the coast, and, as France n.fer clailned an exclusive right bevond ons league, a. fishery lias been ever since carriedI on, and( yearly i.~lereaslng, to an extent which in 1821 roused Lhe jealous.,)y of the French, who sent King's ships to drive away ?'..t, boats and vessels. The States petitioned Government for protection, which was grante , andI a deputyvnmdb oenet miet oine from France at '.,ranville, -vbere the French claimed an extension of the limnits on thispart of their coast ; and thou2e they admitted, as a general principle, eda ore aeage only was their exclusive right, they insist- on two 101 'rg time, on an exception in this gutarter anld C -t'O le, es from low wvater-mark. The Einglish deputy, ColorJelTrnizea, of Jersey, resisted this pretension, and it t > s at last settled that one league should be the limit, but thiat this settlement should be provisional, and subject to arrangements between the two Courts. The cruise.s on both sides were ordered to act up to this agreement, and nio apprehensions were entertained in this island of any change- Vessels were built fit for the fisherv, and for that only; and vessels from the other islartds arid from many ports of England, flocked to it to !auch a degree, that the numlbrs last year were estimatefl tt 180 boa'ts and vessels from this island; 30 or 40 frori Guernsey and Sark; and 200 from the coast of Engls.nd. if you consider that this fi.shery is in its infancy, that it is susceptible of prodigious increase, and that no better nurserv for seaTnen can possibly be estiblished, you may judge 'of the importance to England to praserve it. The Fyench, astonished at the rapid increase and pros- perity uf the English fishery, have openetd a fresh ne- g otia0n, by means of their Amnbassador in London; anei you can have no i(lea of the sensation caused here a:c the news that our Government had hezun by agreefng that provisionally two icagues shouldl be substituted for the L,-mits before agreed upon of one league! It is difficult to lieover wvhy the for.nor provisional order was not con- tinued until the finial treaty, bilt it is reported here, as coming from head-qeuarters, that Sir Colin Halkett, -who comes from Lonidon, understood that the French insisted llpot] this preliminary article, thouglh they still admitted, that as a genieral principle they claim- ed atR exclusive right ever one league only from their low water-mark; biut that a line drawn two leagues f2rom Cape Carteret, and two leagues from a village called Lmngreville, should form an exception to the general limits; and that the cruiscrs of both nations should prevent Eng- lish boats and vessels from dredging within the lines so tracecl. Observe, that Cape Carteret advances far into the sea; mid that, by taking the line two leagues distant at sea from 'that Cape, it will take in a space which in the centre of its length will be at least four if not five leagues from the 0oast of France. and at all events completely takes in all tle oyster bankc;, and destroys a most lucrative fisherv, and the prcspects of thousanids of His Majesty's subjects, num- bers of whom have mortgaged their little property to raise money to build vessels appropriate to this fishery, and fit for nothing else. I do not pretend that ire should( go to war for this fishery; but if wve give up our right, which was not before contest- e.i, because the exercise of it is found so imnportanit to us that it creates jealousv in France, we may prepare for many other sacrifices; andf if astani( i.s at all to be made, I can- not cozceive it can be better chosen than when our right is clcar; is possessed, and acted upon ; is undlisputedl in principle, and is so very important. Alachiavel observes with reason, that " Men and states ai-e mistaken, if they believe that civility and( submission will win over to mode- ration the prou:l and imlperious with whom they contend ;" sucli submission only tenls to further encroachments. I do hope, anm pray the Almighty, for the honour of the English name-for the strength of the navy and empire, and for the prosperity of the nation, that our Government -will, before it be toom late, well understand the questioni, and the extent of the sacrifice they have already provision- ally submitted to; and that they will not extend the limits which the Frenchl themselves never before wished to go beyond, and which they have no other argument for de- mnanding an extension of; than the great benefit derived by England, and their wish to transfer that benefit to them- -selves. I have no interest in this question, except in comimon with every man who honours himself witlh the nanme of AN ENGLISHMAN. PISIL?Ry OMN TZ1.z FRRNCII COARr.