m2 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
along that parallel to the meridian of 27° west longitude. On the west by 
the meridian of 27° west longitude. On the north by the parallel of 67° 30’ 
of north latitude. Onthe east by the meridian of the North Unst light-house.”’ 
(Article Iv.) 
SUBMARINE CABLE CONVENTION OF 1884. 
Another restriction of the fisheries on the high seas is a result of the con- 
vention for protecting submarine telegraph cables. 
As early as 1869 the United States Government suggested a conference at 
Washington for consideration of this subject, but the Franco-Prussian war pre- 
vented the proposed convention. Various meetings were subsequently held at 
Rome, Brussels, and Paris, and an “ International Convention for the Protection 
of Submarine Cables” was finally concluded and signed by the representatives 
of 25 sovereign powers at Paris, on March 14,1884. The ratifications of 17 of 
these states were exchanged at Paris on April 16, 1885, and the convention was 
proclaimed on May 22 of the same year. 
While the submarine cable regulations have not seriously interfered with 
fishing operations in any single region, the convention is noteworthy in this 
connection because of the very large number of sovereign states which adhered 
to it, including nearly every important nation in the world outside Asia, and 
even that continent was represented by Turkey, and Japan acceded to it some 
years later, so that the dominion of this convention now extends almost as far 
as civilization. Indeed, since those powers which have not signed the con- 
vention have not acted in opposition to it, one might safely maintain that these 
regulations have almost become universal international law through custom. 
The terms of this convention are applicable outside the territorial waters, 
and they provide among other things that willful and unnecessary injury to a 
submarine cable shall be a punishable offense. Vessels, fishing gear, and nets 
shall be kept at the distance of at least 1 nautical mile from a vessel flying sig- 
nals that she is engaged in laying or repairing a cable; ‘‘nevertheless, a period 
of twenty-four hours at most shall be allowed to fishing vessels that perceive 
or are able to perceive a telegraph ship carrying the said signals, in order that 
they may be enabled to obey the notice thus given, and no obstacle shall be 
placed in the way of their operations during such period.’’ Vessels, nets, and 
gear must be kept at the distance of at least one-quarter of a nautical mile 
from buoys designed to show the position of cables when the latter are being 
laid, are out of order, or are broken. And owners of vessels who can prove the 
sacrifice of an anchor, a net, or any other implement used in fishing, in order 
to avoid injuring a cable, shall be indemnified by the owner of the cable, upon 
sufficient proof made promptly to the competent authorities.¢ 
a The articles of this convention which relate to the fisheries are given in full in Appendix E 
(page 168 of this paper). 
