468 MISCELLANEOUS 



the United States the right of obtaining bait wo\ild be restored on 

 the opening of the American markets to Newfoundland fish. . . . 

 In a word, the principle that the colonists desire to maintain is ' live 

 and let live ' and they merely object to that of ' let others live by 

 killing us.' " 



Following upon this despatch, the late Sir Ambrose Shea and the 

 late Sir Robert Thorburn proceeded to England to urge upon His 

 Majesty's Government the ratification of the measure for which Sir 

 G. Wm. DesVoeux had so eloquently pleaded, and while in London, 

 namely, on the 10th of June, 1887, Sir Ambrose Shea received a letter 

 from the office of legation of the United States intimating that 



" Should the government of Newfoundland see fit to give notice that 

 American fishermen be admitted to the ports of that Province for the 

 purpose of obtaining supplies the proposal will be cordially accepted 

 and acted upon by the Government of the United States. In that 

 event there would be no objection on the part of the United States 

 Government to entertain suggestions for an independent agreement in 

 respect to the fisheries of Newfoundland, and if made by the au- 

 thorized agents of the Imperial Government." 



This was communicated by Sir Ambrose Shea to the Colonial Office 

 and also to the government of this colony, and I find that, on the 3rd 

 of August, 1887, the following Minute of Council was adopted, viz : 



"A communication was read from Sir A. Shea, enclosing a letter to 

 him from Mr. Phelps, United States minister in London, on the sub- 

 ject of negotiations for an arrangement between the United States 

 Government and this colony in regard to fishery questions, and to the 

 effect that the granting of permission, during the present season, to 

 the United States fishermen to obtain supplies in the ports of this 

 colony would be regarded with favour by the Government of the 

 United States in connection with such, negotiations. 



" The Council are gratified at the expression, on the part of the 

 United States Government, of a disposition on their part to enter into 

 negotiations in relation to this important question in a friendly spirit. 



" The Council are of opinion that it would be greatly to the ad- 

 vantage of the colony to be in a position to negotiate for an independ- 

 ent (' separate ') arrangement with the United States in relation to 

 fishery and other questions, and that it is desirable that authority 

 should be obtained from Her Majesty's Government for the purpose 

 of opening communication with the United States Government upon 

 the subject as soon as opportunity may appear favourable, subject to 

 such condition as Her Majesty's Government may consider it advisable 

 to prescribe." 



Nothing came immediately of this overture. On the 15th of Feb- 

 ruary, 1888, what is known as the Chamberlain-Bayard Treaty was 

 signed at Washington. This treaty provided for free fishing in ex- 

 change for the free admission of fish and fish products, the result of 

 British catch, into the markets of the United States of America. 

 This treaty was approved and signed by the United States Govern- 

 ment, but was rejected by the United States Senate, and the fishery 

 privileges of the United States consequently reverted to those em- 

 bodied in the Treaty of 1818. 



In this same year, 1888, the Bait Act referred to in the despatch of 

 Sir G. W. DesVoeux was brought into force, and under the pro- 

 visions of the same, foreign fishing vessels were excluded from the 



