DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 147 



ister's correspondence that he successively tendered the two proposi- 

 tions with which he was charged, to which proposals the American 

 Government, desiring to offer a counter-proposition, Mr. Bagot did 

 not conceive himself authorised to negotiate, but only to make a 

 specific offer of accommodation. He therefore declined to receive 

 the American counter-projet, notifying to the admiral on the Hali- 

 fax station that nothing had occurred in negotiation at Washington 

 which should interfere with the execution of the instructions of 

 which he was in possession. 



You will particularly advert to the note presented soon after by 

 Mr. Adams in London, with my answer. You will see, upon the as- 

 surance of that Minister, that his Government was prepared to offer 

 a proposition which they persuaded themselves (being then in 

 86 possession of the views of the British Government upon this 

 question) would lead to an early and satisfactory understand- 

 ing on the point of the fisheries between the two States; that, upon 

 this representation and at his express solicitation, the execution of 

 the orders issued for the protection of our fisheries were suspended 

 for that season; and that Mr. Bagot was directed to receive and 

 transmit the proposition alluded to for the consideration of the 

 Prince Regent s Government. 



Notwithstanding this assurance, no specific proposition whatever 

 has hitherto been received from the United States. Various excuses, 

 it is true, have been made for this delay, but the British Government 

 is not the less entitled to complain that the expectation given has 

 not yet been fulfilled, which has obliged them, in order to avoid 

 collision, to suspend for another season the operation of these orders. 



The American Government having, however, now expressly pro- 

 posed to include this subject in the intended negotiation, I cannot 

 entertain a doubt that you will be put without delay in possession of 

 the extent of accommodation which they desire to receive from Great 

 Britain on this point. Indeed, the American plenipotentiaries, in 

 the conversation we held with them, stated that, although they were 

 not actually in possession of the projet, they were assured it would 

 be sent to them by the first packet. You will, therefore, take the 

 earliest opportunity of representing to them the disappointment 

 which this Government has been subjected to on this important ques- 

 tion, and make them feel that it has become indispensable for you 

 to insist that the discussions on this point shall be proceeded in with 

 the least practicable delay. The proposal of the United States on 

 this subject, so soon as received, you will take ad referendum and sub- 

 mit for the consideration of your Government. 



No. 33. 1818, September: Letter from Messrs. Robinson and Goul- 

 burn to Viscount Gastlereagh. 



No. 3. BOARD or TRADE Sept. . 



MY LORD We have the honour to report to your Lordship, that 

 we had yesterday agreeably to appointment, a further conference 

 with the commissioners of the United States. 



It commenced by our expressing a hope, that they would now be 

 prepared to put us in possession, of the views of their Government 



