29 
Supreme Court of Judicature from the bench and appointing 
to the command of one of her Majesty’s war-ships. 
“PROTECTION ” INEFFICIENT AND UNSUITABLE. 
“But it is not the mere theoretical or abstract injustice of the 
ace of any statement of our rights, or of the unsuitability 
he tribunal appointed for their enforcement, that constitutes 
only or our chief grievance. The practical working of the 
em of so-called “ protection” of the rights of the colonists by 
hh naval officers has been to demonstrate, beyond the possi- 
lity of question, that it is utterly inefficient and unsuited for 
purpose, that British rights are ruthlessly disregarded and 
ympled upon, and French aggressions permitted and French 
' demands acceded to, far beyond anything that could be war- 
“ranted” by the most extremely French interpretation of the 
_ treaties. 
a 4 ‘While, no doubt, in some cases unreasonable demands on the 
3 of the French have been resisted, and acts of violence arising 
out of disputes with the French have been prevented; while, in | 
other words, the naval officers of the two nations have by their 
4 resence managed to “ keep the peace” in cases where otherwise 
there would have been trouble; yet it is equally certain that in 
q the majority of cases the peace has been so kept by the sacrifice 
3 of the just rights of the British fishermen to the unjust demands 
of the French, and that in numberless other cases gross wrongs 
have been inflicted upon our people by French fishermen, by 
French naval officers, sometimes without, but sometimes with, 
the sanction of the British officer, and sometimes by the British 
_ officer himself at the instance of the French officer. The cases 
“of injustice to our people, or of failure to obtain redress may be 
Siachiy classified, and illustrated by an example of each class, 
' The first is that in which the Frenchman, with or without pre- 
~ tended cause, commits an act of violence against a British subject 
3 _ by. removing, destroying, or damaging his boat, net, or other 
ef ishing gear. The only remedy, as already stated, is an appeal to 
the Imperial Government, asking them to apply to the French 
E Government for redress. This appeal must be either through 
as e British naval officer, to whom, if he is at hand, the com- 
lainant may state his case; or, if he be not at hand, then 
“communication in writing to the Governor of the colony 
