64 The Fishery Question. 



asked for the privilege. The American case 

 regarded the commission simply as a refer- 

 ence for an accounting. To admit one-fourth 

 of the American catch as taken within the 

 limit was a liberal allowance. A liberal equiv- 

 alent was the remission of duties on Canadian 

 fish and fish oil, amounting to three hundred 

 and fifty thousand dollars annually. An 

 award of five million, five hundred thousand 

 dollars in favor of Great Britain was rendered 

 the 23d of November, 1877. It was generally 

 felt to be excessive in the United States and 

 not to be accepted as a permanent measure of 

 value. Canadian opinion was to the effect 

 that the United States had the " sunny side " 

 of the bargrain. 



The Canadian premier was taken to task, 

 and the treaty ratified " out of respect for the 

 Empire." 



The treaty of Washington went into opera- 

 tion in 1873, to continue in force for ten 

 years, and to be terminated by either party on 

 two years' notice. In 1878 the Senate Com- 

 mittee on Foreign Relations reported that the 

 Halifax award be approved, and submitted a 

 bill providing for its payment. Mr. Hamlin, 

 the chairman, suggested that Great Britain 



