68 The Fishery Question, 



made for drafting rules in regard to a close 

 season. 



The United States did not fail to give due 

 notice of the abrogation of the treaty.^ It 

 expired July i, in the midst of the fishing 

 season of 1885 ; a provisional treaty, relating to 

 fisheries, commerce and navigation, arranged 

 by the English minister and the United 

 States Government, having failed to pass the 

 Senate in 1874. In answer to a note of the 

 English minister, communicated in October, 

 1883, proposing a revision of the treaty, and 

 recalling the allusion in President Arthur's 

 message to the appointment of a commission, 

 Secretary Frelinghuysen had replied to Mr. 

 West in July, 1884, that action might better 

 be postponed until the next meeting of Con- 

 gress. The correspondence between Secre- 

 tary Bayard and Mr. West covers the period 

 from March 12 to June 22, 1885, and terminated 

 in a temporary diplomatic arrangement, 

 whereby the privileges of the recent treaty 

 were continued to American fishermen during 

 the year. On the other hand, it was under- 

 stood that the President of the United States 

 should recommend to Congress a Joint Com- 

 mission " affording a prospect of development 



