340 APPENDIX TO BRITISH CASE. 



United States, which may be seriously impeded, as well as greatly 

 complicated, by any actual collision between the subjects of Great 

 Britain and the citizens of this country. The President, relying 

 confidently on your intelligence and activity, is persuaded that you 

 will use all the means in your power to diffuse a good understand- 

 ing amongst those engaged in the fishery interest. You will warn 

 them of the consequences of committing any unfriendly act during 

 the progress of the pending negotiations, as any such act may post- 

 pone indefinitely the settlement of this vexatious question; and the 

 result would be likely, in any event, to prove hazardous to themselves. 

 Any armed resistance on the part of the fishing vessels, either singly 

 or combined, would be an act of private hostility which can never 

 receive any countenance from this Government. 



You will omit nothing that your knowledge of the circumstances 

 may suggest, and which our good faith towards a Power with which 

 we are, and desire to remain, at peace demands, to prevent any rash 

 or illegal movements intended or calculated to violate our obliga- 

 tions towards a friendly foreign Power, and our colonial neighbours. 



I have been directed by the President to invite your prompt and 

 personal attention to this matter, and to assure you that he places 

 entire confidence in your active and judicious exertions to soothe the 

 present irritation or popular feeling, excited in some instances, it 

 is said, by unfounded reports of alleged violation of our national 

 rights. Every good citizen should be solicitous to prevent any oc- 

 currence which may further excite that feeling. No violation of the 

 colonial local law should be attempted, and their civil authorities 

 and other officers should have due respect paid to them within their 

 jurisdiction. 



In case of insult to the American flag or of injury to our fisher- 

 men, you will request them to transmit the particulars, properly 

 substantiated, to the Department of State instead of attempting to 

 settle the difficulties themselves. 



A naval force under the command of Commodore W. B. Shubrick, 

 has been ordered to the fishing grounds to protect the American fish- 

 ermen in their just rights. 



Our hardy and useful seamen may rest assured while engaged in 

 their lawful avocations all over the world, that no outrage or 

 202 indignity which they may suffer will be permitted to go unno- 

 ticed, but that they will be protected to the utmost of its 

 power by the Government of their country. 



I am, &c. W. L. MARCY. 



No. 118. 1853, July %1: Letter from Vice- Admiral Seymour to tJie 

 Secretary to the Admiralty. 



"Cumberland" Halifax. 



SIR, I have to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Com- 

 missioners of the Admiralty, that Mr. Crampton, Her Majesty's Min- 

 ister to the United States, arrived at Halifax on the night of the 7th 

 instant, for the purpose of conferring with me on a notice he had 

 received on the 2nd from Mr. Marcy, the Secretary of State at Wash- 

 ington, of the intention of the United States Government to send a 

 force to the fisheries, and their desire that the possibility of any col- 



