246 MISCELLANEOUS 



oped the effects of the aggressive policy of the French, and the con- 

 sequent gradual increase of their fishery, and corresponding decline 

 of ours, that I should be wanting in candour if I did not state my 

 conviction, that any further concession would be viewed with extreme 

 dissatisfaction, not alone by the inhabitants of this colony, but by 

 those of the neighboring provinces entitled to participate in pur 

 fisheries. Such, indeed, is the prevailing sentiment on this point, 

 that I feel no -hesitation in saying that this colony, while it still con- 

 fides in the power of Britain for the protection of its j ust rights, and 

 the maintenance of its true position, as an integral of the empire, 

 would, however, if called upon, accept the alternative referred to in 

 Mr. Aldington's letter, of incurring the expense of protecting its 

 fisheries, rather than consent to any extension of privileges to the 

 French. 



12. Having said thus much in exposition of the views and wishes 

 of the inhabitants of this colony, I will, in corroboration of them, 

 state my own opinion, that in any modification of the existing treaties 

 which may be made, it would be extremely unwise to cede to the 

 French a right of fishery at Belle Isle. -In regard to the material 

 difference on this point between the opinion of the Newfoundland 

 Authorities, as expressed in 1844, and those put forward by the 

 Attorney General, to which Mr. Addington refers, I may observe that 

 the contemplated proposition to cede the fishery there, at that time, 

 was made at the instance of Sir John Harvey alone, without con- 

 sulting with his Council, and from an over estimate of the value to 

 us of excluding the French from the fishery on the west coast; and 

 that notwithstanding the importance of the retention of the fishing at 

 Belle Isle was not so well understood as at present, still I have reason 

 to believe that such an exchange and concession would at that time 

 have caused general dissatisfaction. I feel it due to the Attorney 

 General to say that the objections offered by him to this proposition 

 are such as I am sure are concurred in by the whole colony; and are 

 confirmed by the addresses of the Legislature on this subject, which 

 have since been transmitted by me to your Grace. 



13. When it is borne in mind that the Americans as well as British 

 subjects from the neighboring Colonies, in addition to the people of 

 this colony, fish on the Labrador coast, employing in all not fewer 

 than 1,000 vessels yearly; and how prejudicial to the fishery there 

 would be the possession by the French of the Fishery at Belle Isle, 

 where, from its peculiar position, and the use of the seines and pos- 

 sibly of bultows, they would most effectually diminish the supply of 

 fish upon the Labrador: the impolicy of such a concession apart 

 from the value of the fishery at the Island itself will be further 

 apparent. Again, as it is the close proximity of the Islands of St. 

 Pierre and Miquelon to our Southern Coast, which has led to the 

 very serious injuries to our fisheries in that quarter, of which so many 

 complaints have been made, so the possession by the French of Belle 

 Isle would greatly facilitate encroachments on the neighboring Coast 

 of Labrador, and lead to many of the same evils there. 



14. The maintenance of the integrity of our fisheries is now of the 

 utmost importance to this colony. I have lately had occasion, in trans- 

 mitting the Blue Book Returns for 1852, to call your Grace's atten- 

 tion to the extent and value of the Seal Fishery and to the necessity 

 of sustaining and fostering it. Its connection with, and dependence 



