PERTAINING TO THE NEGOTIATION OF THE THE AT Y 



OF 1818. 



Mr. Monroe to Mr. Baker. 



Department of State, July 18, 1815. 



Sir: I have the honor to communicate to you a copy of a letter 

 from the collector of the customs at Barnstable to the Secretary of 

 the Treasury, by which it appears that an American vessel engaged 

 in the cod fishery, in longitude 65° 20", latitude 42° 41", was warned 

 off by the commander of the British sloop of war Jaseur, and ordered 

 not to approach within sixty miles of the coast; with which order the 

 commander of the American vessel immediately complied. It ap- 

 pears, also, that a similar warning had been given by the commander 

 of the Jaseur to all the other American vessels that were then in 

 sight. 



This extraordinary measure has excited no small degree of surprise. 

 Being altogether incompatible with the rights of the United States, 

 it is presumed that it has not been authorized by your Government. 

 I invite your attention to it, in the hope that as you have been 

 charged by your Government with the execution of the late treaty 

 of peace, and are acquainted with its views on all questions connected 

 with it, you will consider yourself authorized to interpose to prevent 

 the progress of an evil which will be so extensively and deeply felt 

 bj r the citizens of the United States. 



I have the honor, &c. James Monroe. 



Anthony St. John Baker, Esq., &c. 



[Inclosure.] 



Collector of the Customs at Barnstable to the Secretary of the 



Treasury. 



Collector's Office, 



Barnstable. July 3, 1815. 

 Sir: — I think it my duty to inform you that the captain of a vessel 

 regularly licensed for the cod fishery has just reported to this office 

 that on the 10th day of June last, being in longitude 65° 20", north 

 latitude 42° 41", about forty-five miles distant from Cape Sable, he 

 fell in with His Britannic Majesty's sloop of war Jaseur, N. Lock, 

 commander, who warned him off, and endorsed his enrolment and 

 license in the words following: 



"June 19, 1815. 

 " Warned off the coast by His Majesty's sloop Jaseur, not to come 

 within sixty miles. 



" X. Lock, Captain." 

 In consequence of which, the fisherman immediately left the fish- 

 ing ground, and returned home without completing his fare. 

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