BEITISH, COLONIAL, AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 291 



Canadians, and that being the case, it is only another proof of the 

 fact that we have a hardy school in which to train our fishermen. 

 ******* 



If a vessel flying the American flag comes in with cargoes of cotton 

 or sugar she can buy whatever she wants. Now, they are allowed to 

 come in and purchase not what a fishing vessel can buy, but necessary 

 supplies to take her on her home voyage. Every vessel is allowed to 

 come into the harbors of Canada without reporting to the customs 

 official if she does not stay longer than 24 hours. At one time, such 

 was not the case when we had light dues, harbor dues and other tolls 

 to collect; but it is not so now. If an American fishing vessel comes 

 in to buy supplies, she merely buys the necessaries she requires, and 

 goes away, and there is nothing more about it. Is it to be imagined 

 that the masters of those vessels, who own them, and who have the 

 earnings of a life time perhaps in one-fourth of the venture, will run 

 the risk of losing his vessel for the purpose of doing what? Of trying 

 to evade the law, knowing full well that behind them their own Gov- 

 ernment will not protect them in breaking the law knowing full 

 well that if they break the law their ship will be seized and confis- 

 cated. Still we are told that if we let those vessels come in for sup- 

 plies that they should not be allowed to transship their cargoes. 



He * * r. '''* 



Hon. Mr. HOWLAN. * * * My hon. friend says if we lose noth- 

 ing by giving the Americans this Treaty, why have we excluded them 

 from these concessions since 1818 ? Well we have not excluded them. 

 There was a treaty for ten years and that was extended for two 

 years. Then we allowed them to come in under license and at last 

 for nothing. We are told that we have given away a good deal. What 

 have we given away? We have established an imaginary line as a 

 fixed line of delimitation. That is one thing: there is no give away 

 there. On the contrary we have increased our mileage and acreage 

 of water. 



******* 



Hon. Mr. MACDONAIJX * * * Now I am free to confess that I 

 am in perfect sympathy with every hon. member who describes the 

 treaty of 1818 as a disgrace to our country. There is no such treaty 

 existing today between any two civilized nations. The treaty of 

 1783 was made when England was weak, when it was impossible for 

 her to open the questions which would limit the fishing advantages 

 of the American fishermen. The treaty of 1818 was made when she 

 was strong, but what she had gained in strength she had lost in 

 magnanimity. I contend that there is not an enlightened nation on 

 the face of the earth today that could go to any other nation to make 

 a treaty and say it shall consist only of these four clauses, viz: to 

 enter lor wood, water, shelter and repairs. If there is any other 

 classification as to what these clauses mean I cannot find it. I be- 

 lieve it is well understood that cases have arisen where vessels have 

 gone into port for coal and have been refused simply because coal 

 was not indicated in the Treaty. 



******* 



If this treaty of 1818 is so faultless, I am at loss to understand what 

 great advantages we derive from parting with it, but it is only be- 

 cause I believe it to be a treaty, as the Secretary of State has de- 



92909 S. Doc, 870, 61-3, vol 6 27 



