ARGUMENT OF SIR JAMES WINTER. 971 



" You have made two propositions, the acceptance of either of 

 which must be attended with the relinquishment of all other claims 

 on the part of the United States, founded on the first branch of the 

 fourth article of the treaty of 1783. In the first, you offer the use of 

 the territory on the Labrador coast, lying between Mount Joli and 

 the Bay of Esquimaux, near the entrance of the Strait, of Belleisle ; 

 and, in the second, of such part of the southern coast of the Island of 

 Newfoundland as lies between Cape Ray and the Ramea Islands." 



The position of the parties, according to that, was just this : Britain 

 was ready to offer to the United States two things one down on Lab- 

 rador from Mount Joli to Esquimaux, and another on the south coast 

 of Newfoundland from Rameau to Cape Ray. That was the then 

 position. And in reply to that offer this answer comes having 

 stated the offer: 



" I have made every inquiry that circumstances have permitted, 

 respecting both these coasts, and find that neither would afford to 

 the citizens of the United States the essential accommodation which 

 is desired ; neither having been much frequented by them heretofore, 

 nor likely to be in future. I am compelled, therefore, to decline 

 both propositions." 



I omitted to state that the first offer was not of both parts, but 

 only in the alternative. The offer that was first made was either one 

 or the other. And this is the reply, that either one or the other of 

 these was not sufficient. 



Then comes a letter from Mr. Bagot to Mr. Monroe, 31st December, 

 1816, at the top of p. 79 : 



" The wish of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent to extend 

 to the citizens of the United States every advantage which, for the 

 purposes in view, can be derived from the use of His Majesty's coasts, 

 Las no other limit than that which is necessarily prescribed by a 

 regard' to the important considerations to which I have adverted." 



Then I would ask the Tribunal to go down for a few lines to a 

 very material part, this concluding sentence of the paragraph : 



" His Royal Highness will be willing that the citizens of the United 

 States should have the full benefit of both of them," 



Both Cape Ray to Rameau and the coast of Labrador 



" and that, under the conditions already stated, they should be admit- 

 ted to each of the shores which I have had the honour to point out. 



" In consenting to assign to their use so large a portion of His 

 Majesty's coasts, His Royal Highness is persuaded that he affords 

 an unquestionable testimony of his earnest endeavour to meet, as 

 far as is possible, the wishes of the American Government, and prac- 

 tically to accomplish, in the amplest manner, the objects which they 

 have in view. The free access to each of these tracts cannot fail to 

 offer every variety of convenience which the American fishermen can 

 require in the different branches of their occupation ; " 



