346 MISCELLANEOUS 



ency of which Bay of Islands forms a part. This petition purports 

 to be signed by about 90 fishermen, residents of Bay of Islands, and 

 prays " that the Modus Vivendi recently entered into between the 

 Government of Great Britain and the Republic of the United States 

 of America respecting the prosecution of the herring fishery in the 

 Bay of Islands by the subjects of the Republic of the United States 

 and the subjects of His Majesty, may be published in the local papers 

 of the Colony." 



2. I at once forwarded this petition to my responsible advisers. 



It chanced that I was in a position to transmit to my Ministers 

 at the same time: 



(a) Your telegram of the 23rd October in which your Lordship 

 states that it is now too late to attempt to withdraw from the ar- 

 rangement, and expresses the hope that my Ministers will do all that 

 lies in their power to give effect to the Modus Vivendi. 



(b) Your despatch of the 10th instant, covering copy of the note 

 of the 6th October of the United States Ambassador, and Mr. Gorst's 

 reply thereto of the 8th instant. These papers, it will be seen, make 

 the whole question as to the text and definitiveness of the Modus 

 Vivendi perfectly clear. I have at the same time informed my Min- 

 isters that your Lordship sees no objection to the Modus Vivendi 

 being made public. 



3. I am not able to speak as to the position and character of those 

 that signed the petition, but I have no reason to doubt that they are. 

 as represented to be, fishermen and residents of Bay of Islands. 



4. The advice I may receive from my Ministers will be promptly 

 communicated to your Lordship. 



I have, etc., WM. MACGREGOR. 



[Inclosure.] 



To His Excellency Sir WILLIAM MACGREGOR, K. C. M. G., 

 Governor in and over the Island of Newfoundland 



and its Dependencies. 

 The petition of the undersigned humbly showeth as follows: 



1. Your petitioners are residents of Bay of Islands. 



2. The principal and practically the only industry which your 

 petitioners have to depend upon for a livelihood is the herring in- 

 dustry, which is prosecuted by them in the Bay of Islands during the 

 spring and fall seasons of the year. 



3. Your petitioners have got to depend solely upon the subjects of 

 the Republic of the United States for the sale of the herrings caught 

 by them. 



4. Your petitioners have learned from despatches which have ap- 

 peared in the public press that a Modus Vivendi respecting the prose- 

 cution of the herring industry at Bay of Islands by subjects of the 

 Republic of the United States and His Majesty's subjects in this 

 Colony, has been entered into between the Imperial Government and 

 the Government of the Republic of the United States. Conflicting 

 reports have appeared and are appearing in the public press in rela- 

 tion to the terms and conditions of the Treaty, and, in consequence, 

 your petitioners are in doubt as to their rights and obligations under 

 the said Modus Vivendi, 



5. In consequence of the n on -publication of the full text of the 

 Modus Vivendi in the local press, your petitioners do not know what 



