DESPATCHES, BEPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 181 



encore depuis que les traites n'existaient plus, et j'ai ajoute que le 

 Gouvernement des fitats Unis qui 1'avait reconnu par deux traites 

 successifs, n'avait eu depuis cette epoque, aucun motif pour le revoquer 

 en doute. Je vous ai enfin prie d'observer que jusqu'a ce que cet ordre 

 de choses eut ete modifie par un arrangement entre les deux Puis- 

 sances, il devait etre considere comme ton jours subsistant, et qu'il 

 etait a desirer que le Gouvernement federal prit des mesures pour 

 eviter sur 1'exercice de ce droit tout conflit de juridiction. 



La reponse que vous m'avez fait 1'honneur de m'adresser ne me 

 parait point detruire les observations que je vous avais faites le 22. 

 Janvier. J'ai recommande depuis quelque temps au charge d'affaires de 

 France pres le Gouvernement federal d'entrer avec lui en explication 

 sur cet objet : je lui en ecris encore; et je dois me persuader, Monsieur, 

 que les demarches qu'il est charge de faire, parviendront, a ecarter 

 les malentendus et les inconvenients que vous paraissez craindre dans 

 les lettres que vous m'avez fait 1'honneur de m'adresser. Le Gou- 

 vernement frangais desire lui-meme qu'ils soient evites; et dans cette 

 vue, il cherchera volontiers toutes les voies de conciliation qui pour- 

 ront s'accorder avec 1'exercice de ses droits. 



Agreez Monsieur, les assurances &c &c &c 



(Signe) CHATEAUBRIAND 



No. 52. 1823, April 15: Letter from Mr. Gallatin to Viscount de 



Chateaubriand. 



PARIS, April 15, 1823. 



SIR, I had the honour to receive your Excellency's letter of the 5th 

 instant 'on the subject of the Newfoundland fisheries. 



The observation in my letter of the 14th of March last, that the 

 obligation contracted by the United States by the treaty of 1778, did 

 not apply to the western coast of Newfoundland, was expressed in 

 too general terms, and applies only to that part of the coast which 

 extends from Cape Ray to Point Riche. However uncertain the posi- 

 tion of this point, which I have not been able to find in any or the 

 maps published before the treaty of Utrecht, it appears to have been 

 understood by both parties to be somewhere on the western coast, and 

 the right to fish between it and the Quirpon Islands, was therefore 

 secured to France by that treaty. This does not however, affect the 

 main arguments used in my letter, as I reasoned on the supposition 

 that the treaty of 1778 was applicable to the whole western coast. 



It was not denied that if France had an exclusive right to the fish- 

 eries in question prior to and independent of the treaty of 1778, that 

 right is still in full force; but I have contended that the stipulation 

 then entered into was not renewed by the convention of 1800, and 

 that if founded in error, the recognition of such right by the treaty 

 above mentioned was at this time no more binding on the United 

 States than any of its other conditions. I regret that my observa- 

 tions in that respect should have failed in producing any effect, but 

 it is hoped that the charge d'affaires of France at Washington has 

 been instructed to give some answer to them, and to state the grounds 

 on which independent of the treaty of 1778, the exclusive right 

 claimed by her, is founded. 



