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“ permitted so long as the bounty-assisted fisheries of France 
“ found a market in that country for their produce. But within — 
“the last three years, the great increase in their fisheries has 
“gone far beyond the requirements of their home markets; 
“and we find them meeting us in Spain, Italy, and other 
“ European countries, and with the bounty equal to 60 per cent. 
“of the value of the fish, they are fast supplanting us; the 
“ reduced value of our staple industry from this cause already — 
“ representing a fairly estimated sum of £250,000 per annum, — 
“under conditions that menace us with a still more serious 
“decline. In these facts, our change of view of the bait traffic — 
“is but too well warranted, and we have abundant reason for the 
“‘ application of the remedy provided in the Bait Act. In 
*“‘ furnishing our rivals with bait, we promote the evils we have to 
* contend with, and our only course is to terminate this suicidal — 
“ traffic. 
“We are but too conscious that, from the causes referred to, 
“the condition of our trade awakens a sense of great anxiety at 
“ the present moment; while we_have full trust in the future, — 
“if only permitted by Her Majesty’s Government to legislate as 
“ we see fit for the protection of what belongs to us. We regret 
“ we cannot safely accept your view of waiting to test by further — 
“‘ experience the question how much longer and to what further ~ 
“ extent our trade will bear up against the adverse influences — 
“that now prevail. Our ability to sustain ourselves against undue 
“ competition would be no argument for obliging us to contribute 
to its continuance, while the perils of such an experiment are 
“ too obvious to warrant its acceptance. 
“ Her Majesty’s Government, in proposing that they should 
“ be the judges of the effect of our measures on our local interests, 
“ are not, we humbly submit, in a position to discharge that duty 
“ with safety or advantage. When it is suggested that, as regards 
“our Bait Act, a consultation with the French may lead to a 
“ remedy being found in some other direction for the admitted 
* evils, this proposal would appear to have originated with a want of 
“ knowledge of the situation. A free supply of bait to the 
“ French from our coasts means the effacement of our British 
“ trade, and the exodus of our population, and forbids all thought — 
“ of possible equivalents. We, moreover, must decline respect- 
** fully to accept the view that the French, or any other foreign 
