The Fishery Question. 57 



were graver forces behind it, for while return- 

 ing toward the seat of his government Lord 

 Elgin was feted not only in Canada but on 

 the American seaboard. Curiously enough the 

 Canadian fishing interest took alarm. While 

 the treaty passed the United States Senate, 

 the maritime provinces of Canada, not at that 

 period confederated, made a sharp although 

 brief resistance.^^ Thus reciprocity came in 

 1854. Canadian natural products were ad- 

 mitted into the United States free, and fishing 

 rights, analogous to those of 1783, were 

 granted in exchange.'^" This time there was 

 no doubt as to the consideration, Canadian 

 trade quadrupled, and the American fisher- 

 men were easily tolerated all along the pro- 

 vincial coasts, until the termination of the 

 treaty by the United States in 1866. The 

 tonnage of the American fishing fleet had in- 

 creased, but the Canadian trade prospered to 

 such an extent that the American fishermen 

 dreaded the growing competition. There had 

 been complaints of the commercial policy of 

 Canada during this period, and a stronger 

 feeling towards its close.^' From an' unnat- 

 ural cordiality, on the eve of the Civil War, 

 the English Government and ruling class sud- 



