BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHEE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 503 



fishery by polluting the waters, by using improper instruments of 

 capture, and by fishing at all seasons of the year. We can not con- 

 ceive 01 a government consisting of sane men granting rights to the 

 subjects of a foreign power to destroy the living of its own subjects 

 and the food supplies of millions of other human beings. Yet that is 

 the contention of the United States Government, and in that conten- 

 tion His Majesty's Government has at least temporarily acquiesced 

 by ratifying the modus vivendi. The American Government have 

 contended that under the Treaty of 1818 they are not subject to our 

 fishery and municipal laws, and by ratifying the modus vivendi His 

 Majesty's Government has not only temporarily approved that asser- 

 tion but has attempted to protect the citizens of the United States 

 from the consequences of a violation of our laws. Let us follow this 

 contention to its logical conclusion, and not only must we look for- 

 ward to the destruction of our west coast fishery, but to the Labrador 

 fishery as well, and Americans have greater rights on the Labrador 

 than they have on the west coast of this colony. Can any member of 

 this house contemplate such a possibility without feelings of alarm? 

 Can they regard the action of this government in relation to the 

 modus vivendi as " much ado about nothing?" Would any section of 

 the. British press regard things in that light if the inshore fisheries 

 of Great Britain were to be invaded by foreign fishermen who set 

 the statute laws at defiance ? I think not. The laws of this land when 

 approved by the Crown are the laws of the Empire. It should not be 

 forgotten that England's honour is as much at stake in upholding 

 those laws as if passed by the Imperial Parliament. 



England in the past has had to look to the fisheries of this colony 

 as a nursery for her navy. Turn back to the record of the great naval 

 struggles in which she conquered ! Appeal to the heroes of that great 

 naval warfare which laid the foundations of that great Colonial 

 Empire which has brought to England during the present century 

 both wealth and power ! Ask them who were the companions of their 

 victories! The answer will come back through the centuries that 

 Newfoundland fishermen sealed the proudest of their victories with 

 their blood. England is looking to this colony for material for her 

 navy. Seven years ago an appeal was made to the young fishermen 

 of Newfoundland to enter her naval reserve. The appeal was an- 

 swered with enthusiasm. Hundreds of brave young fishermen have 

 pledged their lives to the Empire, and hundreds more are willing to 

 do so. Be it known that this is the only colony of the Empire whose 

 sons may be called upon by the Admiralty in time of war. I regret 

 to learn that recently a large number of reservists decline to re-enroll. 

 I do not know the reason for their so doing, but I can not imagine 

 that the episode with which I have been dealing was calculated to 

 inspire enthusiasm or to intensify the loyalty of the fisherfolk of 

 Newfoundland. 



It has been stated by His Majesty's Government that the modus 

 vivendi is for one season only a period sufficiently long for the op- 

 eration of such an unprecedented and humiliating agreement. I 

 think, however, that after this House has given consideration to 

 the papers which have been tabled and to the circumstances to which 

 they relate, it will be regarded as necessary that this humble and 

 respectful address to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for 

 the Colonies do pass, praying that if the rights of this colony can 



