246 THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON. 



provision made for alleged claims on account of the 

 acts of the Fenians. But the United States would 

 not listen to either of these propositions : so that the 

 Dominion had opportunity to allege that she was 

 sacrificed to the Metropolis, and thus to obtain, by 

 way of compensation, the guaranty on the part of the 

 Imperial Government of a large loan for the construc 

 tion of the proposed trans-continental railway from 

 the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean. 



In some respects, the arrangements we have been 

 considering resemble those of the Reciprocity Treaty ; 

 but they are much more comprehensive, and they are 

 better in other respects. 



We have placed the question of the fisheries on an 

 independent footing. If the American fisheries are of 

 inferior value to the British, which we do not con 

 cede, then we are to pay the difference. But the 

 fishery question is no more to be employed by the 

 Dominion of Canada, as it has been heretofore, either 

 as a menace or as a lure, in the hope of thus inducing 

 the United States to revive the Reciprocity Treaty. 



Apart from other new provisions in the Treaty of 

 Washington of less moment, there is the all-important 

 one, stipulating for reciprocal right of commercial 

 transit for subjects of Great Britain through the 

 United States, and for citizens of the United States 

 through the Dominion : in view of which Sir John 

 Macdonald has no cause to regret his participation 

 in the negotiation of the Treaty. 



Sir Stafford North cote, in the late debate on the 

 Queen s speech, repels with force and truth the sug- 



