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a fixed population, carrying on agriculture, lumbering, and fish- 
ing, these old treaties have continued in force, and under them 
the French have continued to assert, and still assert, their claims 
to an “exclusive” right of fishery in the waters and a right to 
occupy the soil, which, though not nominally an exclusive owner- 
ship, yet virtually and practically amounts to the same thing, 
inasmuch as it denies to our people the right permanently or 
even temporarily to occupy one foot of land for any purpose 
whatever, on the ground that such occupation may “ interrupt ” 
or interfere with their rights of fishery. According to their con-— 
tention, every house or other building erected by our people 
within half a mile of the shore, every foot of land cultivated or 
otherwise occupied, every foot of road built—in brief, every 
ordinary act of necessary daily recurrence in the life of every 
inhabitant, is zpso facto a violation of the treaty rights of the 
French, and has only been permitted by them under protest. 
We have stated that these claims on the part of the French, 
outrageous in their operation and effect as they are, have been 
strongly and consistently resisted by Imperial statesmen as un- 
warranted by the terms of the treaties. But we have also stated 
that this resistance of French claims has been on paper only, 
and we shall see hereafter to what extent they have been 
practically conceded by the “authorities” upon whom the 
administration of the treaties has devolved. 
OLD POLICY OF BRITISH GOVERNMENTS, 
In connection with these facts of history, we consider it 
important here to consider the “ policy” or method of dealing 
with these facts adopted by successive Imperial Governments. 
We consider this inquiry most important, because we believe that 
policy to have been unwise, and if not the principal, at least 
a very potent cause of the magnitude of the difficulties which 
haye arisen in connection with this question, and are now 
so acute. The inquiry is also important inasmuch as a correct 
appreciation of the causes of the troubles may at least suggest 
the direction in which to look for an appropriate remedy. 
The “ policy” by which, until within a comparatively recent 
period, the Imperial Government was guided in all its relations 
with the so-called “ French shore” of Newfoundland was that of 
hindering and discouraging by every means short of express 
