BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN.. 9 



United States in connection with the pending Arbitration in respect 

 of the North Atlantic Coast Fisheries, are unable to identify the 

 particular Acts on the part of the Government of the United States 

 to which the Government of Great Britain proposes to call the atten- 

 tion of the Tribunal as directed towards, or amounting to, an attempt 

 at the policing by the national vessels of the United States, of the so- 

 called Treaty Coast, and which are claimed by His Majesty's Govern- 

 ment to be inconsistent with the true interpretation of the Treaty of 

 1818, and I note your suggestion that data sufficient to remove this 

 difficulty should be furnished in time to enable investigation to be 

 made into the Acts referred to. 



I do not find in the Convention for submission to the Tribunal of 

 the questions agreed upon, any provision which would seem to con- 

 template the delivery of a statement in detail, setting out the speci- 

 fic facts which may be relied on as evidence of the conduct in respect 

 of which it is intended to make complaint, but I am anxious that the 

 Agent and Counsel of the United States should not be embarrassed in 

 their work of preparation by any uncertainty in regard to a matter 

 considered to be or such importance, and I may therefore say, by way 

 of reply to your communication, that, in 1905, the United States sail- 

 ing vessel " Grampus," under Captain Hanson, was in the Bay of 

 Islands, Newfoundland, from early in October till the end of the fish- 

 ing season. During the whole of this time Mr. A. B. Alexander, of 

 the United States Fisheries Department was on board the 

 " Grampus," and actively engaged in advising and directing many 

 operations on the part of United States vessel Masters and fisher- 

 men, which operations were, in the submission of His Majesty's 

 Government, contrary to the true intent and meaning of the Treaty 

 of 1818. 



In 1906 the United States Revenue cutter " Potomac," under Cap- 

 tain Hines, was in the Bay of Islands from October till nearly the 

 end of the season, with Mr. Alexander again on board, and in charge, 

 and the " Potomac " on several occasions towed from Woods Island 

 to Birchy Cove different United States fishing vessels which had on 

 board Newfoundland citizens employed as fishermen on such fishing 

 vessels in contravention of the Newfoundland Statutes in that behalf. 



In each of the years 1907 and 1908 the United States Revenue 

 cruiser S. S. " Gresham," under Captain Perry, was in the Bay of 

 Islands for some weeks during October and November with Mr. 

 Alexandej again on board, and directing the ship's movements till 

 she left, "when Mr. Alexander went ashore at Birchy Cove, and re- 

 mained there till the end of the fishing season. 



It is the action of the United States Government in sending into 

 Newfoundland Territorial Waters its national ships upon the occa- 

 sions and in the circumstances above indicated, to which His Majesty's 

 Government proposes to call the attention of the Tribunal, and in 

 regard to which the Tribunal will be asked to express its opinion. 

 I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, 



A. B. AYLESWORTH, 

 Agent for Great Britain in the 

 North Atlantic coast Fisheries Arbitration. 



