54 ^/^^ Fishery Question. 



own, they denied the right of passage through 

 the Strait of Canso, an arbitrary act, at vari- 

 ance with the sentiment of the home govern- 

 ment, opposed to EngHsh public opinion, and 

 a hostile demonstration against a friendly 

 power. They prevented Americans from land- 

 ing on the Magdalen Islands, and on the 30th 

 of June, 1843, they seized a little American 

 vessel, the Washington, ten miles from the 

 shore in the Bay of Fundy. Mr. Everett, the 

 American minister to England, protested. 

 The British Government apparently willing to 

 avoid extreme measures, except when under 

 colonial pressure, offered to admit our fisher- 

 men to the Bay of Fundy. Mr. Everett did 

 not regard this as a concession, but accepted 

 it as a right. When the news of this disposi- 

 tion of the question reached Nova Scotia, the 

 authorities protested to the home government. 

 The protest was successful and the assurance 

 was conveyed that England would adhere to 

 a strict interpretation. The question was 

 ultimately referred to a commission, in 1853. 



The commissioners disagreed and left the 

 decision to the umpire, Mr. Bates, of Baring 

 Brothers, who ruled that no indentation 

 of the coast, exceedinq- ten miles in width, 



