168 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC., 



provinces, and the navigation of the St. Lawrence and the canals 

 connected with it. 



The prospects of the negotiation, at the commencement of the 

 session, were alluded to in a general way in the President's message. 

 The attention of this department was given to the subject at the 

 earliest day possible, and it has been pursued with diligence. It has 

 been perceived, with satisfaction, that the government of Her Britan- 

 nic Majesty is prepared to enter into an arrangement for the admis- 

 sion of the fishing vessels of the United States to a full participation 

 in the public fisheries on the coasts and shores of the provinces, (with 

 the exception, perhaps, at present, of Newfoundland,) and in the 

 right of drying and curing fish on shore, on condition of the admis- 

 sion, duty free, into the markets of the United States of the products 

 of the colonial fisheries; similar privileges, on the like condition, to 

 be reciprocally enjoyed by British subjects on the coasts and shores 

 of the United States. 



Such an arrangement the Secretary has reason to believe would 

 be acceptable to the fishing interests of the United States. 



It is also understood that the British government is desirous, in 

 concert with the provinces, to come to an agreement with the United 

 States for reciprocal free trade with the provinces in certain natural 

 productions, and that the free navigation of the river St. Lawrence 

 and of the Welland and Rideau canals would be conceded as part of 

 the arrangement. 



An agreement of this kind has for several years received the atten- 

 tion of Congress, and a bill providing for reciprocal free trade in 

 certain articles on one occasion passed the House of Representatives. 

 The present negotiations have been conducted by the department 

 under the impression that, if the details of the arrangement could be 

 satisfactorily settled, and in such a way as to afford a prospect of 

 mutual benefit, Congress would be disposed to perform its part to 

 carry it into effect. 



Even if the United States, as the party to the compact which fur- 

 nishes by far the largest market to the other, should think it neces- 

 sary in some respects to limit, and in others to enlarge, the number 

 of articles subject to the arrangement, beyond what the British 

 government or the provinces would prefer, the Secretary has been of 

 opinion that the main provisions above alluded to promised so much 

 benefit on both sides, that it would be felt to be expedient to enter 

 into the arrangement for a definite time, leaving to future legisla- 

 tion and negotiation, guided by experience, to render it still more 

 satisfactory by further limitation or enlargement. 



The number and variety of the details which have presented them- 

 selves in the progress of the negotiation, and the important interests 

 in different parts both of the United States and the British provinces 

 requiring to be carefully considered, taken in connexion with the 

 necessity of a reference to London for instructions as to all questions 

 of moment that arise unexpectedly, have thus far prevented, and 

 will probably render impossible, the conclusion of a comprehensive 

 arrangement of the kind contemplated in season to be submitted to 

 the Senate, and to become the subject of legislative action during the 

 present short session. It is believed, however, from the progress 

 made, and the present state of the negotiations, that time only is 



