628 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



not granted by the treaty of 1818, and several of them having 

 been seized, retaliatory measures were threatened by the 

 United States. After negotiations between the two Govern- 

 ments another treaty was signed at Washington, on February 

 15, 1888, the principal British plenipotentiary being Mr 

 Joseph Chamberlain. This treaty provided for the appoint- 

 ment of a mixed commission to delimit "the British waters, 

 bays, creeks, and harbours of the coasts of Canada and of 

 Newfoundland, as to which the United States, by Article I. 

 of the Convention of 20th October 1818, between Great 

 Britain and the United States, renounced for ever any liberty 

 to take, dry, or cure fish." The delimitation was to be marked 

 upon charts by a series of lines regularly numbered and 

 described, the three marine miles being measured from low- 

 water mark, "but at every bay, creek, or harbour, not other- 

 wise specially provided for in this treaty, such three marine 

 miles shall be measured seaward from a straight line drawn 

 across the bay, creek, or harbour, in the part nearest the 

 entrance at the first point where the width does not exceed 

 ten marine miles." A large number of bays were specially 

 dealt with by lines specified, that of Chaleurs being closed, 

 or by other special lines from which the three miles was 

 to be measured; and other articles in the treaty regulated 

 the entry of American fishing vessels into colonial ports. 

 It was further provided that whenever the United States 

 removed the duties on fish and fish-oils from Canada and 

 Newfoundland, United States' vessels would be licensed, free 

 of charge, to enter the colonial ports and harbours to purchase 

 provisions, bait, ice, seines, and all other supplies 'and outfits, 

 to tranship their catch, or for the shipping of crews. 



But, inasmuch as the above treaty could not possibly be 

 ratified before the commencement of the next fishing season, 

 the British plenipotentiaries, in order to avoid a recrudescence 

 of the usual friction and irritation, and to afford evidence of 

 their anxious desire to promote good feeling, agreed, in a 

 protocol of the same date, to a "temporary arrangement for 

 a period not exceeding two years, in order to afford a modus 

 vivendi pending the ratification of the Treaty." This arrange- 

 ment granted the privilege to American fishing vessels of 

 entering the bays and harbours, on payment for an annual 



