298 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC., PRIOR TO TREATY OP 1818 



of them -were compelled, by a storm, to put into a harbor at Ragged 

 island, near Shelourae light-house. That, while here, they were 

 boarded by an officer of the customs, who demanded and received 

 light-money from them, notwithstanding the circumstances of com- 

 pulsion and distress under which they had entered the port. That 

 they afterwards proceeded to the bank, where, after -remaining many 

 weeks, they completed their fares of fish, and commenced their return 

 to the United States. That, meeting with another severe storm upon 

 their return, they were again forced to seek shelter in a British port, 

 a few leagues to the westward of Halifax. That in this port they 

 were captured by an armed barge, despatched from the British sloop 

 of war Dee, Captain Chambers, and the next morning ordered for 

 Halifax, where they all arrived on the 9th of June. That the un- 

 fortunate crews have been exposed to peculiar inconveniences and 

 hardships; and that those who desired to return to their homes were 

 refused passports towards facilitating that end, from the proper 

 officers, to whom they made application. For further particulars 

 connected with the above facts, I have the honor to enclose you an 

 extract of a letter a to this Department from the collector of Boston, 

 dated June 30th. It will be seen that it is not a case involving un- 

 settled questions between the two countries in relation to the fisheries, 

 but which it is so confidently hoped are in a train of satisfactory and 

 amicable arrangement. It is, on the other hand, distinctly said that 

 the boats, far from taking a fish in any waters claimed as British 

 waters, took them all at the distance of many leagues from the coast; 

 while the other alleged facts would seem to forbid the imputation of 

 their having entered a British harbor from any other than a lawful 

 and necessary motive. 



Should the facts as represented prove to be well founded, the 

 President feels persuaded that your Government will not fail to take 

 such measures, as well towards redressing the evil complained of, in 

 the present instance, as towards preventing the recurrence of one of 

 the like nature, as are due to justice and the harmony and good 

 understanding which so happily subsist between the two nations. 



I pray you, sir, to accept, &c 



Richard Rush. 



Mr. Bagot to Mr. Rusli. 



Washington, August 8, 1817. 



Sir: I had yesterday the honor to receive your letter of the 4th 

 instant acquainting me with the representations which had been 

 made to the Department of State in relation to the seizure, by His 

 Majesty's ship Dee, of certain American fishing vessels found in the 

 harbors of Port Negro and Ragged island, upon the coast of Nova 

 Scotia, and transmitting to me the extract of a letter upon the sub- 

 ject from the collector of the customs at Boston. 



Should the circumstances of this seizure, as they have been repre- 

 sented to the American Government, prove to be correct, I can have 

 no hesitation in giving you every assurance that His Majesty's Gov- 



fl The letter referred to is mislaid. 



