UNITED STATES CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 631 



should receive, in some manner, by treaty or otherwise, reciprocal and 

 obligatory acknowledgments from the principal maritime powers. 



On a careful examination of the note you have addressed to me, 

 the suggestions of her Majesty's government seem to me to be ex- 

 pressed in too general terms to be made the basis of a discussion. 

 Suppose, by way of illustration, that the utmost range of cannon now 

 is five miles, are her Majesty's government understood to propose that 

 the marine boundary of neutral jurisdiction, which is now three miles 

 from the coast, should be extended two miles beyond the present 

 limit? Again, if cannon-shot are to be fired so as to fall not only 

 not upon neutral land, but also not upon neutral waters, then sup- 

 posing the range of cannon-shot to be five miles, are her Majesty's 

 government to be understood as proposing that cannon-shot shall 

 not be fired within a distance of eight miles from the neutral terri- 

 tory? Finally, shall measure-distances be excluded altogether from 

 the statement, and the proposition to be agreed upon be left to extend 

 with the increased range of gunnery ; or shall there be a pronounced 

 limit of jurisdiction, whether five miles, eight miles, or any other 

 measured limit? 



I have to request that you will submit these suggestions to your 

 government, to the end that they may define, with necessary pre- 

 cision, the amendment of maritime law which they think important, 

 and upon which they are willing to agree with the other great mari- 

 time powers. 



I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your most 

 obedient servant, 



WILLIAM H. SEWARD. 



J. HUME BURNLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c. 



Deputy Colonial Secretary of Newfoundland to Messrs. John Pew 



& Sons. 



COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, 



ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND, 



28 February, 1905. 



SIRS, I am directed by the Rt. Hon. the Premier to acknowledge 

 your favour of the 14th instant, with respect to the Fine imposed 

 upon Captain Edward Cosgrove of the schooner " Columbia " by the 

 authorities at Bay of Islands. I am to say in reply that the law in 

 this respect must be carried out, and the Government cannot consent 

 to a remission of the Fine. I beg to return you the enclosures that 

 came forward with your letter. 



I have the honor to be, Sirs, Your obedient servant, 



ARTHUR MEWS, 

 Deputy Colonial Secretary. 



Messrs. JOHN PEW & SONS, 



Gloucester, Mass. 



