246 APPENDIX TO BRITISH CASE. 



mercial but of the public marine, and the highest considerations of 

 national policy require it to be fostered. 



The British colonial fishermen possess considerable advantages 

 over those of the United States. The remoter fisheries of Newfound- 

 land and Labrador are considerably more accessible to the colonial 

 than to the United States fishermen. The fishing grounds on the 

 coasts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, abounding in cod, mack- 

 erel and herring, lie at the doors of the former; he is therefore able 

 to pursue his avocation in a smaller class of vessels, and requires a 

 smaller outfit; he is able to use the net and the seine to great advan- 

 tage in the small bays and inlets along the coast, from which the 

 fishermen of the United States, under any construction of the treaty, 

 are excluded. All or nearly all the materials of ship building, tim- 

 ber, iron, cordage and canvas are cheaper in the colonies than in the 

 United States, as are salt, hooks and lines. There is also great ad- 

 vantage enjoyed in the former in reference to the supply of bait and 

 curing the fish. These, and other causes, have enabled the colonial 

 fishermen to drive those of the United States out of many foreign 

 markets, and might do so at home but for the protection afforded by 

 the duties. 



It may be added that the highest duty on the kinds of fish that 

 would be sent to the American market, is less than a half-penny per 

 pound, which cannot do more than counter-balance the numerous 

 advantages possessed by the colonial fishermen. 



The undersigned supposes, though he has no particular informa- 

 tion to that effect, that equal or higher duties exist in the colonies on 

 the importation of fish from the United States. 



The undersigned requests the Earl of Aberdeen to accept the assur- 

 ance of his high consideration. 



EDWARD EVERETT. 



145 No. 86. 1845, April 21: Letter from the Earl of Aberdeen to 



Mr. Everett. 



FOREIGN OFFICE, April %1^ 1845. 



The undersigned, Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State for 

 Foreign Affairs, has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the two 

 notes which Mr. Everett, envoy extraordinary and minister pleni- 

 potentiary of the United States of America, addressed to him on the 

 25th ultimo and on the 2d instant, relative to the case of the Argus, 

 and that of the Washington, United States' fishing vessels. 



Those notes have been brought under the consideration of Her 

 Majesty's Secretary of State for the colonies, and the undersigned 

 postpones, therefore, replying to their contents, until he shall have 

 become acquainted with the results of that reference. 



In the meantime, however, the undersigned thinks it expedient to 

 guard himself against the assumption of Mr. Everett, that it may 

 have been his intention by his note of the 10th ultimo, to include 

 other bays on the coasts of the British North American provinces, 

 in the relaxation which he therein notified to Mr. Everett, as to be 

 applied henceforward to the Bay of Fundy. That note was intended 

 to refer to the Bay of Fundy alone. 



The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to 

 Mr. Everett the assurances of his high consideration. 



ABERDEEN. 



