DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE. ETC. 547 



disposition made apparent on both sides to arrive at such an under- 

 standing, that the Imperial authorities, without any surrender of 

 Imperial or Colonial rights, and without acquiescing in any limited 

 construction of the Treaty, instructed the Vice-Admiral to confine his 

 seizures to the more open and injurious class of offences which were 

 especially likely to be brought within the cognizance of the naval 

 officers of the Imperial service. 



The Canadian Government, as has already been stated, for six 

 months left its fishing grounds open to American fishermen, without 

 any corresponding advantage in return, in order to prevent loss to 

 those fishermen and to afford time for the action of Congress on the 

 President's recommendation that a joint Commission should be ap- 

 pointed to consider the whole question relating to the fisheries. 



That recommendation has been rejected by Congress. Canadian 

 fish is, by prohibitory duties, excluded from the United States' 

 market. The American fishermen clamour against the removal of 

 these duties, and in order to maintain a monopoly of the trade, con- 

 tinue against all law to force themselves into our waters and harbours 

 and make our shores their base for supplies, especially of bait, which 

 is necessary to the successful prosecution of their business. 



They hope by this course to supply the demand for their Home 

 market, and thus to make Canada indirectly the means of injuring 

 her own trade. 



It is surely, therefore, not unreasonable that Canada should insist 

 on the rights secured to her by Treaty. She is simply acting on the 

 defensive, and no trouble can arise between the two countries if 

 American fishermen will only recognise the provisions of the Con- 

 vention of 1818 as obligatory upon them, and, until a new arrange- 

 ment is made, abstain both from fishing in her waters and from visit- 

 ing her bays and harbours for any purposes save those specified in the 

 Treaty. 



In conclusion the undersigned would express the hope that the dis- 

 cussion which has arisen in this question may lead to renewed nego- 

 tiations between Great Britain and the United States and may have 

 the result of establishing extended trade relations between the Re- 

 public and Canada, and of removing all sources of irritation between 

 the two countries. 



(Scl.) GEORGE E. FOSTER, 



Minister of Marine and Fisheries. 



No. 201. 1886. June 1^: Letter from Mr. Bui/ard (United States 

 Secretry of State) to Sir L. S. S. West (Brithh Minister). 



DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 



Washington, June 14, 1886. 



SIRS The Consul-General of the United Statesat Halifax communi- 

 cated to me the information derived by him from the Collector of 

 Customs at that port to the effect that American fishing vessels will 

 not be permitted to land fish at that port of entry for transportation 

 in bond across the province. 



I have also to inform you that the masters of the four American 

 fishing vessels of Gloucester, Mass., Martha A. Bradly, Rattler, Eliza 



