30 The Fishery Question. 



was placed by the English secret service, at 

 an opportune moment, in the hands of the 

 American commission. All parties now 

 desired peace. France could expect nothing 

 from a continuation of hostilities. Spain 

 despaired of obtaining Gibraltar, and Eng- 

 land wished to conclude with the United 

 States because she could then force the 

 French and Spanish courts to an ultimatum. 

 The phraseology of Oswald's instructions 

 having been altered, in deference to the ob- 

 jections of the American commission, the 

 differences were mainly in regard to the Fish- 

 eries, the English creditors and the loyalists. 

 On October 5th, Oswald had accepted an 

 article permitting the United States to dry 

 their catch on the shores of Newfoundland. 

 His government, noticing this too "pacifical" 

 humor, thereupon added Strachey, an under 

 secretary in the Home Office, to the English 

 commission. This gentleman achieved a 

 diplomatic victory at the outset, owing to an 

 unguarded, but sincere, remark of John Adams, 

 who had just reinforced the other side. 

 Adams had not been presented to De Ver- 

 gennes when he met the English commis- 

 sioners in Jay's apartments. Strachey de- 



