DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 535 



No. 200. 1886, June 14 ' Report of a Committee of the Privy Council 

 for Canada, approved by the Governor-General in Council, with 

 annexed Report of the Minister of Marine and Fisheries. 



The Committee of the Privy Council have had under consideration 

 a Report from the Minister of Marine and Fisheries upon the com- 

 munications, under date the 10th and 20th May last, from the Hon. 

 Mr. Bayard, Secretary of State of the United States, to Her Ma- 

 jesty's Minister at Washington, in reference to the seizure of the 

 American fishing vessel " David J. Adams." 



The Committee concur in the annexed report, and they advise that 

 your Excellency be moved to transmit a copy thereof, if approved, 

 to the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 



All which is respectfully submitted for your Excellency's approval. 



(Sd.) JOHN J. McGEE, 



Clerk, Privy Council for Canada. 



[Accompanying Report of the Minister of Marine and Fisheries.'] 



320 The undersigned, having had his attention called by your 

 Excellency to a communication from Mr. Bayard, Secretary 

 of State of the United States, dated the 10th" May, and addressed to 

 Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, in reference to the seizure 

 of the American fishing vessel " David J. Adams," begs leave to sub- 

 mit the following observations thereon : 



Your Excellency's Government fully appreciates and reciprocates 

 Mr. Bayard's desire that the administration of the laws regulating 

 the commercial interests and the mercantile marine of the two 

 countries might be such as to promote good feeling and mutual ad- 

 vantage. Canada has given many indisputable proofs of an earnest 

 desire to cultivate and extend her commercial relations with the 

 United States, and it may not be without advantage to recapitulate 

 some of those proofs. 



For many years before 1854 the maritime provinces of British 

 North America had complained to Her Majesty's Government of the 

 continuous invasion of their inshore fisheries (sometimes accom- 

 panied, it was alleged, with violence) by American fishermen and 

 fishing vessels. 



Much irritation naturally ensued, and it was felt to be expedient 

 by both Governments to put an end to this unseemly state of things 

 by Treaty, and at the same time to arrange for enlarged trade rela- 

 tions between the United States and the British North American 

 Colonies. The Reciprocity Treaty of 1854 was the result by which 

 not only were our inshore fisheries opened to the Americans, but pro- 

 vision was made for the free interchange of the principal natural 

 products of both countries, including those of the sea. 



Peace was preserved on our waters, and the volume of interna- 

 tional trade steadily increased during the existence of this Treaty, 

 and until it was terminated in 1866 not by Great Britain, but by the 

 United States. 



