DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 545 



moment the most friendly and free commercial intercourse with the 

 neighbouring Republic. 



The mercantile vessels and the commerce of the United States have 

 at present exactly the same freedom that they have for years past 

 enjoyed in Canada, and the disposition of the Canadian Government 

 is to extend reciprocal trade with the United States beyond its 

 present limits, nor can it be admitted that the charge of local 

 prejudice or hostile feeling is justified by the calm enforcement, 

 through the legal tribunals of the country of the plain terms of a 

 Treaty between Great Britain and the United States and of the 

 statutes which have been in operation for nearly seventy years ex- 

 cepting in intervals during which (until put an end to by the United 

 States Government) special and more liberal provisions existed in 

 relation to the commerce and fisheries of the two countries. 



The undersigned has further to call attention to the letter of Mr. 

 Bayard of the 20th May, relating also to the seizure of the " Davitl 

 J. Adams " in the Port of Digby, Nova Scotia. 



That vessel was seized, as has been explained on a previous occa- 

 sion, by the commander of the Canadian steamer " Lansdowne," 

 under the following circumstances : 



She was a United States' fishing vessel and entered the harbour of 

 Digby for purposes other than those for which entry is permitted by 

 the Treaty and by the Imperial and Canadian Statutes. 



As soon as practicable, legal process was obtained from the Vice- 

 Admiralty Court at Halifax, and the vessel was delivered to the 

 Officer of that Court. The paper referred to in Mr. Bayard's letter 

 as having been nailed to her mast, was doubtless a copy of the war- 

 rant which commanded the Marshal or his deputy to make the arrest. 



The undersigned is informed there was no intention whatever of 

 so adjusting the paper that its contents could not be read, but it is 

 doubtless correct that the officer of the Court in charge declined to 

 allow the document to be removed. Both the United States' Consul 

 General and the Captain of the " David J. Adams " were made ac- 

 quainted with the reasons for the seizure, and the only ground for the 

 statement that a respectful application to ascertain the nature of the 

 complaint was fruitless, was that the Commander of the " Lans- 

 downe," after the nature of the complaint had been stated to those 

 concerned, and was published and had become notorious to the people 

 of both countries, declined to give the United States' Consul General 

 a specific and precise statement of the charges upon which the vessel 

 would be proceeded against, but referred him to his superior. 



Such conduct on the part of the officer of the " Lansdowne " can 

 hardly be said to have been " extraordinary " under the present cir- 

 cumstances. 



The legal proceedings had at that time been commenced in the 

 Court of Vice- Admiralty at Halifax where the United States' Consul 

 General resides, and the officer at Digby could not have stated with 

 precision, as he was called upon to do, the grounds on which the inter- 

 vention of the Court had been claimed in the proceedings therein. 



There was not in this instance the slightest difficulty in the United 

 States' Consul General and those interested in the vessel obtaining 

 the fullest information, and no information which could have been 

 given by those to whom they applied was withheld. 



92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 4 45 



