DESPATCHES, EEPOKTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 549 



ment, and of the consular officers of the United States in the Domin- 

 ion of Canada. 



Mr. William L. Putnam, of Portland, Me., in conjunction with 

 Mr. George W. Biddle, of Philadelphia, has been engaged by this 

 Government as its legal counsel in respect of its rights and duties 

 which may be brought in question by reason of the seizure of your 

 vessel. 



If you will communicate with Mr. Putnam he will no doubt give 

 you all information in his power in relation to the laws under which 

 your property was so seized, and suggest what steps should be taken 

 to protect your private interest in the premises. 



Moreover, I suggest that you should carefully secure evidence of all 

 the facts connected with the presence of your vessel in Annapolis 

 Basin, and of the absence of any unlawful act or intention on the part 

 of her master, crew, or owner, as well as proof of the actual loss and 

 injury sustained by you by reason of this harsh and, as I believe, 

 wholly unwarranted action by the Canadian officials such evidence 

 to be obtained and preserved as the basis of claims for your remunera- 

 tion. 



More than one year ago I sought to protect our citizens engaged in 

 fishing from the results which might attend any possible misunder- 

 standing between the Governments of Great Britain and the United 

 States as to the measure of their mutual rights and privileges in the 

 territorial waters of British North America, after the termination of 

 the fishery articles of the treaty of Washington in June last. It 

 seemed to me then, and seems to me now, very hard that differences 

 of opinion between the two Governments should cause loss to the 

 honest citizens whose line of obedience might be thus rendered vague 

 and uncertain and their property be brought into jeopardy. In- 

 fluenced by this feeling, I procured a temporary arrangement which 

 secured our fishermen full enjoyment of all the Canadian fisheries, 

 free from molestation during a period which would permit discussion 

 of a just international settlement of the whole fishery question. But 

 other counsels prevailed, and my efforts further to protect the fisher- 

 men from such trouble as you now suffer were unavailing. 



To secure for them full protection in the enjoyment of all their 

 just rights and privilege? is still my earnest intent and object, and 

 for all losses to which they may be unlawfully subjected at the hands 

 of the authorities of foreign Governments I shall seek and expect to 

 obtain full redress. I regret exceedingly the disturbance in the long 

 customary pursuits and the serious loss and inconvenience attendant 

 upon a disputed construction of laws and treaties by two sepa- 

 328 rate Governments, and I trust that I shall soon be enabled to 

 secure such a clear and comprehensive declaration of agreement 

 between those charged with the administration of the two Govern- 

 ments as will define the line of their rights and secure from molesta- 

 tion those American fishermen who. obeying the injunctions of their 

 Government respecting subordination to the laws of foreign Govern- 

 ments, keep within the laws of their own country. 



Reparation for all losses unlawfully caused by foreign authority 

 will be made the subject of international presentation and demand. 

 I am, &c., 



(Sd.) T. F. BAYARD. 



