BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 331 



16. It will, I feel confident, be recognised that Her Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment have sought to meet as far as possible the views which you, 

 together with the other delegates, have placed before them during 

 the frequent discussions that have taken place, and Her Majesty's 

 Government trust that the Government and Legislature of New- 

 foundland will feel no difficulty or hesitation in passing the desired 

 measure. 



17. The Colony will thus show that it is prepared honourably to 

 abide by the international engagements affecting the Island, and will 

 declare these engagements to be part of the Colonial law. By cre- 

 ating the proposed court the Legislature will also have given an 

 assurance to the Colonists engaged in the fishery that they will be 

 dealt with only under the decisions of a competent legal tribunal. 



18. At the same time the establishment of this court will have a 

 further advantage, in that diplomatic complaints of infringement of 

 treaty rights or of denial of justice will be based upon facts duly 

 sifted and accurately ascertained, and not only upon the ex parte 

 statements of aggrieved fishermen whose statements would frequently 

 be contradicted by the other parties to the transaction. 



******* 



I am, &c. 



(Signed) R. H. MEADE. 



Sir WILLIAM WHITEWAY, K.C.M.G. 

 ******* 



[Enclosure in No. 1.] 



Draft of a bill to provide for carrying into effect Her Majesty's 

 engagements with France respecting the fisheries off the coast of 

 Newfoundland, and for the judicial determination &f questions 

 arising with reference thereto. 



******* 



1. (1.) Her Majesty the Queen may from time to time, by in- 

 strument under Her Royal Sign Manual and Signet, appoint Judicial 

 Commissioners for the treaty coast and waters, and every Commis- 

 sioner so appointed shall receive from the Governor a commission 

 for the purposes of this Act. 



(2.) There shall be a superior court of record, called the Judicial 

 Commission Court, and the said Judicial Commissioners shall be 

 judges of that Court. 



Newfoundland customs circular of March 18, 1898. 



Under the Treaty of 1818, made between Great Britain and the 

 United States, the fishermen of the latter country have liberty to 

 cntch fish on that part of the coast between Ramea Islands and Cape 

 Ray and between Cape Ray and Quirpon Islands, and of drying or 

 curing fish in any unsettled parts within those limits. They may 

 not, however, enter any settled parts in this Colony within the above 

 limits, or any parts without those limits, for any purpose other than 

 for the purpose of shelter, and of repairing anv damage, or of pur- 

 chasing wood and of obtaining water; except for taking fish within 

 the above limits. 



Under the " Foreign fishing vessels Act " 55 Vic. Cap. 10, fishing 

 vessels of the United States are permitted to obtain a license to enter 



