PERIUD FROM 1854 TO 1811. 593 



said proclamation of the seventh day of October, one thousand seven 

 hundred and sixty-three (except the said islands of Madelaine,) shall 

 be separated from the said government of Lower Canada, and be 

 again re-annexed to the government of Newfoundland." 



The mouth of the river Saint John, referred to in this act, is under- 

 stood to be between the G4th and 65th meridian of longitude west from 

 Greenwich. 



We further understood that in June, 1825, by the 9th section of cap. 

 59, 6 Geo. IV., entitled "An act to provide for the extinction of federal 

 and seigniorial rights and burthens in lands held a titre de tief and a 

 titre de cens, in the province of Lower Canada, and for the gradual 

 conversion of those tenures into the tenure of free and common socage, 

 and for other purposes relating to said province," it was enacted that 

 so much of the said coast as lies to the westward of a line to be drawn 

 due north and south from the bay or harbor of Ance Sablon, inclu- 

 sive, as far as the 52d degree of north latitude, with the island of 

 Anticosti, and all other islands adjacent to such part as last aforesaid 

 of the coast of Labrador, shall be, and the same are hereby, reannexed 

 to and made a part of the said province of Lower Canada, and shall 

 henceforward be subject to the laws of the said province, and to none 

 other. 



The bay or harbor of Ance Sablon is understood to be in the longi- 

 tude of about 57° 8', at or near the entrance of the Straits of Bello 

 Isle. 



The treaty of 1818 secures to the inhabitants of the United States, 

 in common with the subjects of her Britannic Majesty, the liberty to 

 take fish of any kind on the shores of the Magdalen Islands, and also 

 on the coasts, bays, harbors, and creeks from Mount Joly, on the 

 southern coast of Labrador, to and through the Straits of Belle Isle, 

 and thence northwardly, &c. 



Mount Joly, thus fixed by treaty as the westernmost limit on the 

 coast of Labrador of the liberty of fishing for the inhabitants of the 

 United States, is understood to be in the Longitude of about 61° 40'. 

 From that point east wind and northward, on the shores of what was 

 then called Labrador, the fishermen of the United States have the lib- 

 erty to take fish. 



The act last above recited seems to establish the boundaries and the 

 jurisdiction of Canada as extending to the bay of Ance Sablon, about 



ur and a hal f degree of longitude to the east of Mount Joly, and to 

 !ude the Magdalen Islands. 



It was under the impression that tins act establishes the juris- 

 diction and the boundary of Canada, as extending to a line drawn 

 due n«»rth and south from the bay or harbor of Ance Sablon, and 

 including the Magdalen [elands, that on the 21st of April last I 

 invited your attention <o the first paragraph of the order in council 

 of the I dominion of ( Sanada on the 8th January last, declaring " that 

 lenceforth all foreign 6 bermen be prevented from fishing in the 

 waters of Canada," a i contemplating a possible interference with the 

 rights guaranteed to the United States under the treaty of 1818. 

 The minister of the privy council and the report of the minister of 

 marine and fi heries, of which you have given me copies, give at 

 Burance of the intent of the authorities of the Dominion government 

 not to abridge tho e right ; but the order in council may be inter 

 preted by those to whom it execution is intrusted to authorize their 



