PERTAINING TO NEGOTIATION OF TREATY OF 1783. 235 



ting this article in the way they proposed. In which they not only 

 had my concurrence, but I own I used the freedom to encourage and 

 press them to give their consent; being of opinion that I would be 

 under no difficulty in showing that the grant was not of that impor- 

 tance as to be put in comparison with the consequences of splitting 

 with America at this time. Among other things it occurred to me 

 that if our caution in this particular regarding our marine, and an 

 apprehension of its being abridged by this interference of the Ameri- 

 cans to a greater extent in this trade, we might come to suffer much 

 more by what the commissioners insinuated and indeed threatened in 

 case of a refusal, which was to pass an act of navigation, by which, 

 after a certain time all the ports of America should be shut against 

 English ships in so far as the exportation of their produce should be 

 concerned. And in the other view of the profits of the fishing trade, 

 and our being deprived of such part of it as the Americans would 

 gain by this admission, I was of opinion that in leaving the fishing 

 sea ports in the west of England, I would not have far to go inland, 

 to be satisfied that the loss by continuing the dispute some time longer 

 with the Americans, or even laying the foundation of a national 

 grudge, would, ten times over, counterbalance the amount of the said 

 loss; even supposing that the conditions of those restraints could be 

 enforced; by keeping the Americans to their proper distances; which 

 I am of opinion would be difficult if not doubtful, or if attempted by 

 our men-of-war on that station, might be the means of bringing on 

 quarrels of states, instead of being useful in preventing quarrels of 

 fishermen, as one of the motives insisted on in justification of this 

 refusal. 



Some time after our giving up this article one of those gentlemen 

 came over to our lodgings, and told us that if in this particular we had 

 made any stretch beyond the limits of our instructions, they would in 

 return do the same by theirs; and instead of confining the payment 

 of debts to what preceded the year 1775, they would make all recover- 

 able since that period. 



I have not to trouble you farther on the subject, as Mr. Strachey 

 can so well inform you of every particular of the progress of it. I 

 will only beg leave, in so far as I was personally concerned, to express 

 my acknowledgment, and the sincere satisfaction I felt upon this 

 second appointment to that charge which could not fail in relieving 

 my mind of the anxious concern I must have naturally experienced 

 upon tin; occasion. I had also the additional pleasure to promise 

 upon the public receiving every benefit in the conclusion of the busi- 

 ness which could be expected from his ability and indefatigable atten- 

 tion and assiduity, as to which any farther information on my part 

 would be ill placed and unnecessary, so that I have only to subscribe 

 myself, sir, &c. 



RlOHABD Oswald. 



