294 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



No. 7. 1817, May 10: Letter, Earl Bathurst to the Lords Commis- 

 sioners of the Admiralty. 



DOWNING STREET, 10th May, 1817. 



MY LORDS, Mr. Adams, the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United 

 States of America, having made an official communication to Lord 

 Viscount Castlereagh, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for 

 Foreign Affairs, that it was the intention of the President of the 

 United States to renew the negotiation for an amicable settlement 

 with respect to the fisheries on the coasts of the British Colonies 

 in North America, and having been directed to make an application 

 that the order given last year conditionally to His Majesty's naval 

 officers commanding on the North American stations, not to interrupt 

 or disturb the fishermen of the United States, might be renewed 

 during the approaching season, His Royal Highness the Prince 

 Regent being persuaded from this official communication that it 

 is not only the sincere desire of the President of the United States 

 to come to an amicable arrangement, but also that the President, 

 being already in possession of the views of Great Britain, is now led 

 to entertain a strong expectation that a settlement which shall recon- 

 cile the interests of both parties may without any material delay, be 

 effectuated; and His Royal Highness being, moreover, desirous of 

 seizing this the earliest occasion since the elevation of the President 

 the first magistracy of the United States of evincing to him and to 

 the United States, His Royal Highness's disposition to cultivate a 

 good understanding with those States, has commanded me to direct 

 your Lordships to instruct His Majesty's commanders on the Ameri- 

 can coast to suspend, in regard to vessels of the United States, during 

 the approaching season the execution of the instruction given to seize 

 and detain all vessels belonging to foreign Powers which shall be 

 found taking and drying fish in any of the unsettled bays, harbours, 

 and creeks of His Majesty's possessions in North America. In order, 

 however, that the subjects of the United States should not be hereby 

 mislead into a belief that this indulgence is to continue beyond the 

 expiration of the season, His Majesty's cruizers must distinctly warn 

 the said vessels of the United States that the suspension of the in- 

 structions above recited does not extend beyond that period. Your 

 Lordships will further instruct the naval commanders on the Ameri- 

 can coasts to cause it to be signified to all the vessels of the United 

 States which proceed for the purpose of fishing on the coast of His 

 Majesty's North American possessions, that the liberty hereby al- 

 lowed to vessels of the United States to frequent for this season the 

 unsettled bays, harbours, and creeks, is by no means to be construed 

 to extend to any bay, harbour, or creek which is actually settled, but 

 that they are instructed forthwith to seize and detain all vessels of 

 the United States which shall be found taking and drying fish on 

 any part of the coast belonging to His Majesty which shall be settled. 

 I have the honor to be, &c. 



(Signed) BATHURST. 



The LORDS COMMISSIONERS 



of the Admiralty. 



