562 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



In accordance with this conviction, all communications, verbal 

 and written, upon the subject, have been submitted to the considera- 

 tion of the proper Committees of Congress, and the question of ex- 

 tending a system of reciprocal trade with the British Provinces on 

 our frontier awaits their decision. 

 I have, &.c. 



William H. Seward. 

 Sir F. Bruce. 



Tlie Earl of CI / < ndon to Sir F. Bruce. 



Foreign Office, March 17, 18G6. 



[Extract.] 



It may be necessary for me to recapitulate very shortly the steps 

 which have been taken by Her Majesty's Government with respect 

 to the Eeciprocity Treaty between this country and The United 

 States, which ceases to be in operation this day. 



That Treaty was entered into by the two countries in order to 

 avoid further misunderstanding between their respective subjects 

 and citizens in regard to the extent of the right of fishing on the 

 coasts of British North America, and in order to regulate and extend 

 the commerce and navigation between their respective territories 

 and peoples. The misunderstandings to which the Treaty alluded 

 were of a grave character, and had more than once threatened to 

 interrupt the friendly relations wdiich it has ever been the desire 

 of the British Government to maintain with that of The United 

 States. They were happily put an end to by the Treaty, and for a 

 period of nearly 11 years during its existence the subjects and citizens 

 of the two countries have carried on their respective occupations, 

 and have enjoyed the privileges which they have obtained under it, 

 without any question having arisen to disturb the good understand- 

 ing which had thus been established between the two Governments. 



Her Majesty's Government had hoped that a state of things so 

 advantageous to the political relations and to the commerce between 

 The United States and Great Britain and her North American col- 

 onies would have been allowed to continue, and that the Government 

 of The United States would not have availed themselves of their 

 right of terminating a Treaty which, in the opinion of Her Majesty's 

 Government, has so well fulfilled the object for which it was entered 

 into and has been so eminently benefirial to both the Contracting 

 Parties. In this hope, however, Her Majesty's Government have 

 been disappointed. On the 17th of March, of last year, Mr. Adams 

 transmitted to Lord Pussell a certified copy of a joint Resolution of 

 the Congress of the United States, approved by the President, giving 

 notice of the termination of the Treaty at the expiration of 12 months 

 from that date, as it was considered no longer for the interests of 

 The United States to continue the Treaty in force. 



Mr. Seward, however, had informed Mr. Burnley, that with a view 

 of inaugurating a more friendly policy with Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment, he was willing, as the season advanced, to enter into negotia- 

 tions for a remodelling of the Treaty on terms which might prove, 

 he hoped, advantageous and beneficial to both parties. 



