DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 599 



of the United States, would under such circumstances order down or 

 forcibly haul down the British flag from a vessel charged with such 

 irregularity ; and I now assert that if such act were committed, this 

 Government, after being informed of it, would not wait for a com- 

 plaint from Great Britain, but would at once promptly reprimand the 

 parties concerned in such misconduct and would cause proper expres- 

 sion of regret to be made. 



A scrupulous regard for international respect and courtesy should 

 mark the intercourse of the officials of these two great and friendly 

 nations, and anything savoring of the contrary should be unhesi- 

 tatingly and emphatically rebuked. I cannot doubt that these views 

 will find ready acquiescence from those charged with the adminis- 

 tration of the Government of Great Britain. 



You are at liberty to make Lord Iddesleigh acquainted with the 

 contents of this letter, and, if desired, leave with him a copy. 

 I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 



T. F. BAYARD. 



EDWARD J. PHELPS, Esq., 



&c. &c. &c. 



No, 220. 1886, November 15: Letter from Mr. Bayard to Mr. 



Phelps. 



[No. 459.] DEPARTMENT or STATE, 



Washington, 15th November, 1886. 



SIR, The season for taking mackerel has now closed, and I under- 

 stand the marine police force of the territorial waters in British 

 North America has been withdrawn, so that no further occasion 

 for the administration of a strained and vexatious construction of 

 the Convention of 1818 between the United States and Great Britain, 

 is likely for several months at least. 



During this period of comparative serenity, I earnestly hope that 

 such measures will be adopted by those charged with the adminis- 

 tration of the respective Governments as will prevent the renewal of 

 the proceeding witnessed during the past fishing season in the ports 

 and harbors of Nova Scotia, and at other points in the maritime 

 Provinces of the Dominion, by which citizens of the United States 

 engaged in open-sea fishing were subjected to much unjust and un- 

 friendly treatment by the local authorities in those regions, and 

 thereby not only suffered serious loss in their legitimate pursuit, but, 

 by the fear of annoyance, which was conveyed to others likewise 

 employed, the general business of open-sea fishing by citizens of the 

 United States was importantly injured. 



My instructions to you during the period of these occurrences have 

 from time to time set forth their regrettable character, and they 

 have also been brought promptly to the notice of the representative 

 of Her Majesty's Government at this Capital. 



These representations, candidly and fully made, have not 

 358 produced those results of checking the unwarranted interfer- 

 ence (frequently accompanied by rudeness and an unnecessary 



