PERIOD FROM 1836 TO 1854. 

 Mr. Bankhead to Mr. Forsyth. 



^'ashington, January 6, 1836. 



The undersigned, his Britannic Majesty's charge d'affaires, has the 

 honor to transmit to the Secretary of State of the United States the 

 copy of a letter which he has received from the Earl of Gosford, his 

 Majesty's governor-in-chief of Canada, enclosing letters from the 

 officers of the customs at Quebec and Gaspe, in which serious com- 

 plaints are preferred against fishermen of the United States, for 

 encroaching on the limits of the British fisheries carried on in the 

 river and gulf of St. Lawrence. 



These encroachments have occasioned great injury to the British 

 merchants and others engaged in connection with these pursuits, and 

 moreover, they are entirely at variance with the restrictions imposed 

 by the convention which was concluded in the year 1818, for regu- 

 lating the fisheries carried on by the two nations. 



The undersigned begs leave to call Mr. Forsyth's attention to the 

 repeated acts of irregularity committed by the fishermen of the 

 United States, detailed in the letter from the sub-collector of customs 

 of Gaspe, and he confidently hopes that measures will be taken to 

 prevent their recurrence and do away with the possibility of collision 

 taking place on the spot, which might arise should those fishermen 

 persist in encroaching upon forbidden ground. 



The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to Mr. 

 Forsyth the assurance of his most distinguished consideration. 



Charles Bankhead. 



The Hon. John Foksyth, &c, &c, &c. 



[Inclostire.] 



Lord Gosford to Mr. Bankhead. 



Castle of St. Lewis, 



Qui / '"'. December 26, 1885. 

 Si i! : Having received complaints of encroachments by the fishermen 

 of the United State . on the limits <>f the British fisheries carried on 

 in the river and Gulf of St, Lawrence, and of the injury thereby oc- 

 casioned to the merchants and others engaged in thai pursuit, I con- 

 ceive it to be my duty t<» transmit for your information the enclosed 

 copies of communications made t<> me by the officers <>f the customs 

 here and nf Gaspe upon this subject. 



I beg leave, nt the same time, t«» observe that I have forwarded 

 similar copies t<> bis Maje ty's nee admiral commanding <>n this 

 stat ion. 



I have the honor, &c., 



Gosford. 

 Chables Bankhead, Esq., &<•., &c, &c. 



407 



