PERTAINING TO THE SITUATION IN 18*10. 189 



With reference to the steps taken to protect the interests of citizens 

 of the United States, and to secure to them the privileges which they 

 have heretofore enjoyed in the inshore fisheries, it is proper to state 

 that, in the absence of any official announcement from the British 

 government of a proposed change in the practice of granting licenses 

 to foreign fishermen, this department is not aware of any steps having 

 been taken in anticipation ot such a contingency ; but on learning that 

 stringent measures might be adopted by the authorities of the Do- 

 minion of Canada to exclude all foreign fishing vessels from the 

 inshore fisheries unless provided with licenses, the Secretary of the 

 Navy was directed by the President to cause a small, active naval 

 steamer to be sent, at the beginning of the approaching fishing season, 

 to the waters in which these fisheries are chiefly carried on, for pur- 

 poses of warning and protection to the fishermen of the United States. 



Respectfully submitted. 



HAMILTON FISH. 



The PRESIDENT. 



[Inclosure No. 2.] 



No. 57.] Mr. Dart to Mr. Fish. 



CONSULATE GENERAL UNITED STATES AMERICA, 

 FOR THE BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN PROVINCES, 



Montreal, March 17, 1870. 



SIR : I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the Montreal 

 Herald, of the 12th instant, containing the report of a debate in the 

 Dominion Parliament upon the subject of Canadian fisheries, wherein 

 Sir John A. Macdonald stated, " that, as he had already announced, 

 it was the intention of the government to issue no more licenses to 

 foreign fishermen, and they were taking every step possible to protect 

 our fisheries." The paper contains the debate at length for that day. 



******* 

 I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



WILLIAM A. DART, 



Consul General. 

 Hon. HAMILTON FISH, 



Secretary of State, Washington. 



[Inclosure No. 3.] 



Debate 7th March, in House of Commons, Ottawa. 



[From the Montreal Weekly Herald, March 12, 1870.] 

 PROTECTION OF CANADIAN FISHERIES. 



Mr. Coffin asked whether the American government have been 

 notified by the Dominion government that it is their intention to 



glace an armed force on Canadian waters for the protection of 

 anadian fishermen. 



Sir J. A. Macdonald said there had always been an armed force 

 supplied by her Majesty's government for the protection of British 



