334 APPENDIX TO BRITISH CASE. 



As Mr. Lawrence appears to have totally misunderstood the tenor 

 of my observations, it is necessary that I should inform you that I 

 did not say that seizures would not be made beyond the three mile 

 distance of the shore within bays, but I said that the President of 

 the United States had proposed to you that Her Majesty's ships 

 should abstain from making such seizures. Moreover no mention 

 was made either by Mr. Lawrence Sir John Pakington, or myself, 

 of permission to American fishermen to " make up their fares " by 

 fishing close in shore for two months. 



On the contrary I repeatedly remarked that the intimation given 



by Her Majesty's Government to the United States left everything 



as to rights and instructions to Commanders in statu quo; that Her 



Majesty's Government claimed no new right, and laid down no new 



principle, nor did they abrogate any previous relaxation ; that 



198 the British proceeding was in fact one merely of police; but 



that we had specially enjoined upon Her Majesty's Officers 



forbearance and judgment in the execution of their instructions. 



You will take an opportunity of pointing out to Mr. Webster the 

 misconceptions into which Mr. Lawrence has fallen with regard to 

 the tenor and intent of my observations on the occasion in question. 



I am with great truth and regard Sir, 

 Your most obedient humble servant, 



MALMESBURT. 



JOHN F. CRAMPTON Esqr 



No. 115. 185%, October 28: Letter from Mr. B. N. Norton, United 

 States Consul for Pictou Dependency, to Sir A. Bannerman. 



CONSULATE or THE UNITED STATES, 

 Province of Nova Scotia, Pictou, October 28, 1852. 



SIR : Since my return from Charlotte Town, where I had the hon- 

 our of an interview with your Excellency, my time has been so con- 

 stantly employed in the discharge of official duties connected with 

 the results of the late disastrous gale, so severely felt on the north 

 side of Prince Edward Island, that I have not found time to make 

 my acknowledgments to your Excellency for the kind and courteous 

 reception extended to me at the Government-House, nor to furnish 

 you with my views relative to some improvements which might be 

 made by your Excellency's Government, thereby preventing a simi- 

 lar catastrophe to the one which has so lately befallen many of my 

 countrymen; and at the same time on behalf of the Government of 

 the United States, which I have the honour to represent, to thank 

 you most feelingly for the promptness and energy displayed by your 

 Excellency in issuing Proclamations, whereby the property of the 

 poor shipwrecked mariner should be protected from pillage. 



These various duties devolving on me, I now have the pleasure of 

 discharging, but only in a brief and hurried manner. 



The effect of the recent visitation of Providence, although most 

 disastrous in its consequences, will yet result in much good. 



In the first place, it has afforded the means of knowing the extent 

 and value of fisheries on your coast, the number of vessels and men 



