PERTAINING TO THE SITUATION IN 18*70. 191 



was not employed to protect the Bay of Chaleurs alone, but the whole 

 of the Canadian fisheries. That steamer had been twice in the bay 

 of Chaleurs during the season, and had been continuously employed 

 in performing its duty on some portion of the coast the entire 

 season. Government of course had no control over the steamers of 

 the royal navy. He believed the instructions from the admiralty 

 were such as to render any active service in the way of protecting 

 our fishermen impossible. Three warnings and twenty-four hours' 

 notice were required in order to prevent complications such as arose 

 before 1854. The Canadian government had not been wanting in 

 remonstrating against these restrictions. He was happy to believe 

 that her Majesty's fleet in our waters would not be diminished, but 

 perhaps increased. As he had already announced, it was the inten- 

 tion of government to issue no more licenses to foreign fishermen, 

 and they were taking every step possible to protect our fisheries. 

 They would have such a force as the imperial government chose to 

 place in our waters to back up our own schooners, which would act 

 as a marine police. With respect to the motion before the House, 

 part of the correspondence with the imperial government he had 

 already promised to bring down. If there was any correspondence 

 respecting the alleged depredations it should be brought down. 



Sir A. T. Gait said it was evident from the references made to 

 this question that the House should be in possession as soon as 

 possible of the correspondence that had taken place between the 

 Canadian and imperial governments. It was certain that the ques- 

 tion of fisheries, in connection with America, had in former years 

 been a source of very great complication and danger to the relation 

 between Great Britain and the United States. It was very im- 

 portant that the House should know the grounds on which they based 

 their charge of policy in this respect, and a material force by which 

 it was to be sustained. In the absence of correspondence he was un- 

 willing to express his own opinion on the subject. He looked upon 

 this as the most serious question that could engage the attention 

 of the House one upon which it was absolutely essential that this 

 government and the imperial government should be in perfect har- 

 mony. The responsibility must not devolve on our government alone ; 

 it involved consequences much too important to the well-being of 

 this country and of the mother country as well as of the United States 

 to be dealt with without full consideration of its gravity and im- 

 portance. 



Sir J. A. Macdonald said that the duty of the Canadian govern- 

 ment extended only to affording protection to our fishermen while in 

 Canadian waters. If any Americans, whether sailors or fishermen, 

 in fishing or trading vessels, come on shore and commit an assault 

 or trespass, the Dominion government had nothing whatever to do 

 with the matter. In fact, it had no power or authority to protect 

 the inhabitants. That must be done by local authorities of the gov- 

 ernment, who had full control over the administration of justice. 



Sir A. T. Gait said that it would probably be better to have the dis- 

 cussion on this subject when the proposal was before the House. He 

 might mention that there was a difficulty in connection with this 

 delicate question which no doubt would come under consideration, 

 and that was as to the fixing of the rightful boundaries. Some 

 difficulty arose on account of the head-lands. 



