PERTAINING TO NEGOTIATION OF TREATY OP 1818. 295 



satisfactorily settled; that, with this view, it was the President's 

 intention to renew the negotiation as soon as he could obtain the 

 information necessary to ascertain what arrangement would be best 

 calculated to reconcile the interests of both parties, which he hoped 

 to do in the course of a few months; that, in the mean time, he relied 

 that no measures would be taken by His Majesty's Government to 

 alter the existing state of things; and, particularly, that the order to 

 the naval officer commanding on that station, not to interrupt or dis- 

 turb the American fishermen during the approaching season, would 

 be renewed. 



The undersigned has the honor of renewing to Lord Castlereagh 

 the assurance of his high consideration. 



John Quincy Adams. 



Lord Castlereagh to Mr. Adams. 



Foreign Office, May 7, 1817. 



The undersigned, His Majesty's principal Secretary of State for 

 Foreign Affairs, in reply to Mr. Adams's note of the 21st ultimo, has 

 the honor to acquaint him that, as soon as the proposition which 

 Mr. Bagot was authorized in July last, to make to the Government 

 of the United States, for arranging the manner in which American 

 citizens might be permitted to carry on the fisheries within the British 

 limits, had been by them declined, viz: in the month of February, the 

 same was immediately notified by His Majesty's minister in America 

 to the British admiral commanding at Halifax; the effect of which 

 notification was to revive the orders which Mr. Bagot had taken upon 

 himself to suspend, in the expectation that the discussions in which he 

 was then employed with the American Government would have led to 

 a satisfactory i— ue. 



These discussions having failed of success, and the orders above 

 alluded to being consequently now in full force, the British Govern- 

 ment cannot but feel some reluctance again to suspend them, without 

 being in posse sion of more precise grounds for expecting an adjust- 

 ment. Persuaded, however, from the official communication received' 

 from Mr. Adams, that it is not only the sincere desire of the President 

 of the United States to come to an amicable arrangement, but also 

 that he, being already in possession of the views of Great Britain, is 

 now led to entertain a strong expectation that ;i settlement which shall 

 reconcile the interests of both parties may, without any material 

 delav, be effectuated, the Prince Regent, under these impressions, is 

 willing tn give to tne American Government this additional proof 

 of hi earnest wish that the negot iation should proceed, under circum- 

 stances the most favorable to a 3peedy and amicable conclusion, by 

 acceding to the application of the Government of the United States, 

 as brought forward by Mr. Adams, [nst ruct ions will, accordingly, be 

 expedited to the naval commanders on the American station to sus- 

 pend the execution of the Baid order-, during the approaching Beason. 

 Ample opportunity will thus be afforded for coming to an amicable 

 arrangement, more particularly as it appears that the American 

 Secretary, in February la t, had it in contemplation to oiler, for the 

 consideration of the British Government, some specific proposition on 



