106 
EB. 
WHY “LOBSTERS” NOT “FISH.” 
Joint ADDRESS oF LEGISLATURE, 1889, on THE SuBsHCT OF LOBSTER. 
g 
INDUSTRY. 
Most Gractous SovEREIGN— . 
We, your Majesty’s humble and devoted subjects, the Legisatival 
Council and the Commons House of Assembly of Newfoundland, beg to 
approach your Majesty with an expression of our loyalty and devotion | 
to your Majesty’s person and throne. | 
Upon us, as branches of the Colonial Legislature, has devolved the. | 
duty of considering the subject of British rights and British claims on 
that portion of the coast of Newfoundland on which the French have — 
certain fishery privileges in special reference to certain claims asserted — 
by subjects of France in the year 1888, in respect to the taking and 
preserving of lobsters. 
The claims of the French, in this behalf, have been now made tod | 
the first time. ; 
The facts surrounding these new claims are set forth in Soiain | 
correspondence, which has been brought before us as a Legislature, which 
correspondence has already been a matter of consideration for your 
Majesty’s Ministers, and has formed a subject of diplomatic communica- 
_ tion between your Majesty’s Ministers and the Government of France. 
This correspondence has reference to the grievances complained of 
by two of your Majesty’s subjects, one Murphy and one Andrews, who, 
during the fishery season of 1888, were lawfully engaged in the pro- 
secution of their business of taking and canning lobsters at a place 
called Hauling Point, in White Bay, on the north-east coast of New- 
foundland. | 
In connection with this correspondence and the grievances com- 
plained of, we have had occasion to regard and make reference to the 
action of our Colonial Legislature on former occasions, in respect of 
the large issues which are involved in the present subject of considera- 
tion; and we have had to revert to the assurances of your Majesty, as, 
from time to time, given by your Majesty’s Ministers in confirmation — 
of positions asserted: and maintained by this eolony, as to the relative 
rights of British and French subjects on the coast of Newfoundland | 
under treaties between the two great Powers. 
In our present deliberations, we have been constrained to regard as 
