138 APPENDIX TO BKITISH CASE. 



Ragged Island, near Shelburne 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 compulsion 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, dispatched 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 

 unfortunate 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 

 honour to enclose you an extract of a letter to this department from 

 the collector of Boston, dated June the 30th. It will be seen that it 

 is not a case involving unsettled 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 

 harbour 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. 



81 No. 29. 1818, May 21: Extract from Letter from Mr. Adams 

 (United States Secretary of State) to Mr. Rush (United 

 States Minister at London). 



******* 



The other law to which I have called your attention is an act con- 

 cerning navigation, passed on the 18th and published in the National 

 Intelligencer of the 21st of April. It meets the British prohibitive 

 colonial system by direct and countervailing prohibition, to com- 

 mence from and after the 30th of September next. The vote upon its 

 passage in the Senate, where it originated, was all but unanimous, 

 and in the House of Representatives the opposition to it amounted 

 only to fifteen or sixteen votes. 



Although no formal communication of this law to the British 

 Government will be necessary, it may naturally be expected that it 

 will be noticed in your occasional conversations with Lord Castle- 



